Looking upwards at Masada |
It's also 1 heckuva large rock.
![]() |
Visitor Center together with model |
![]() |
Model of King Herod's palace complex atop Masada. |
The complex atop what nosotros would telephone telephone a mesa were originally built past times King Herod the Great every bit both a summertime palace together with a refuge inwards instance the Jews got out of mitt or Cleopatra actively pursued her want to add together Judea to the Egyptian empire. His palace literally "hung" off the northern side inwards 3 stepped tiers.
Part of the administrative complex |
You tin country a King Herod era edifice past times its unique "framed" blocks. |
The ramp for the battering ram. |
With move pal Carol Timblin inwards the synagogue. Anything below the nighttime describe is original, higher upwards it reconstruction. |
You tin withal watch the squares of Roman encampments that surrounded Masada during the siege. |
Masada's finale
According to legend, knowing their days were numbered, the 960 remaining Jews voted to accept their ain lives rather than submit to their fate nether the Romans, decease or slavery for all. This they did May 2, 73. Ten were selected past times lot to live the lastly who would kill 1 another, torch the metropolis together with finally, commit suicide. They purposely left nutrient together with H2O stocks untouched to attempt out their actions were non the consequence of hunger or thirst.
One-tenth of the cistern complex. |
Forty years later, Masada was abandoned together with forgotten until rediscovered inwards the 1960s when excavations began.
Walking along the top of Masada. |
Even off path it's non bad. |
The Dead Sea from Masada. |
The Dead Sea closer up. |
Western edge Israel, Eastern edge Jordan
1,200 feet below ocean level
Mountains surrounding it are 2,400 feet higher upwards ocean level
65 feet broad at its widest point
20-minute stimulate from Jerusalem
Saltier inwards the due north - 34 portion - than inwards the due south - 12 percent.
Although said to live skilful for yous - stretches together with tones peel together with heals cuts - DO NOT
• endeavour to swim inwards it
• vesture anything metallic; the H2O volition swallow it up
• larn its H2O inwards your eyes
• drinkable it - tastes bitter together with its high magnesium content volition kill you!
After hearing all of those warnings together with feeling the mutual depression temperature air of Jan it took a lot of curiosity to brand the plunge. However, it's 1 of those 1 time inwards a lifetime things together with yous shouldn't fille it.
Bathhouse on left, path to the ocean on the right. |
There volition live opportunities for the traditional Dead Sea mud bath but I passed on that, preferring to purchase mine from a tube. I produce similar the Dead Sea peel products, though.