History of Jerusalem

The Pool of Siloam is defined by the massive stone steps that descend into a large, trapezoidal reservoir at the southern end of the City of David. Once a central water source for ancient Jerusalem, it was fed by the Gihon Spring through…

The City of David is a narrow ridge of land just south of the Old City walls, recognizable by the ongoing archaeological excavations that have uncovered stone fortifications and ancient water systems. It is identified by many historians…

The Southern Wall rises as a massive stone expanse, forming the southern boundary of the Temple Mount platform. Built during the reign of King Herod the Great between thirty-seven and four before the common era, this retaining wall…

The golden dome rises above the Old City, crowning an octagonal structure decorated with glazed tiles and marble. Built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik between six eighty-eight and six ninety-one, this shrine is the oldest surviving…

The Cardo is recognizable by its rows of ancient stone columns and expansive, partially vaulted ceiling, which enclose a wide walkway originally paved by the Romans. This thoroughfare was the primary north-to-south artery of Jerusalem,…

Jaffa Gate is defined by its distinct, ninety-degree L-shaped entrance, a design feature built into the stone masonry specifically to slow down attackers who once tried to force their way into the city. Constructed between fifteen…

The most striking feature of Mishkenot Sha'ananim is the windmill that rises above the stone buildings, silhouetted against the sky. Built in eighteen fifty-seven, this mill was intended to grind grain and provide an independent income for…

Ammunition Hill is defined by a complex network of narrow, limestone-lined trenches and bunkers that remain much as they were during the Six-Day War in nineteen sixty-seven. Originally developed by the British during their mandate as a…