Masada fortress: description, history. Landmarks of Israel

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Israel today is deservedly considered one of the amazing places in the world. And the point is not only that the miracles described in the Bible took place on this earth, but that now the most significant shrines for Christians are located here.

Sights of Israel

No wonder the Promised Land is one of the most popular and sought after destinations for tourists. Travelers from all countries come to Israel to get in touch with unique shrines, plunge into ancient history and relax on the shores of the Red or Dead Sea.

The sights of this land are unique. In no other place is it possible to see such a number of sacred relics and places of worship. Most of the holy places of Israel are concentrated in Jerusalem: this is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Mosque of the Dome of the Rock, the Church of St. Mary Magdalene and, of course, the Wailing Wall - one of the main attractions of the Promised Land. It is a sacred place located on the western slope of the Temple Mount - part of the ancient wall erected around the temple built by King Solomon. The name "Wailing Wall"received in the sixteenth century. Today, here Jews and tourists pray or repent of sins, leaving notes addressed to the Almighty in the cracks. Christ, and where the miracle of the good news took place. A beautiful Catholic church in honor of the Annunciation rises above the grotto of the same name.

Interesting places for tourists

It is a mistake to think that in the land of Israel there are only places of worship and holy places. In this amazing country, there are many interesting museums to visit. The Promised Land is considered not only the birthplace of three religions, but also the cradle of civilizations. Therefore, the historical value of this area is difficult to overestimate. Among the places that are necessarily included in sightseeing tours for tourists are museums such as fine arts, Israel, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, Bible countries and others.

Colorful colors of city streets, multinational hubbub and artifacts of all major world religions are another reason that thousands of travelers are drawn to hot, but surprisingly interesting Israel. And the proximity of such natural monuments as the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert, seaside resorts, etc., only increases the army of tourists.

Masada Fortress

Israel, being a tiny piece of land surrounded by seas, deserts, forests and mountains, has turned into a modern country today, suffered and built by many generationsJews. And if you list all the iconic places of this state, then one of them is definitely worth a visit. The top ten most popular tourist attractions include the Masada fortress in Israel. Every traveler orders excursions here.

How to get there

Very often among Russians this word causes some bewilderment. The reason is that many people associate the Masada fortress with the Israeli special service Mossad. However, there is no connection between them. The word "masada" is of Greek origin, in Hebrew it means "fortress". This ancient legendary building is listed as a World Heritage Site. It is located near the shore of the Dead Sea - only twenty kilometers. The ancient fortress of Masada is located near the city of Arad, next to the Ein Gedi highway.

History

It was built in the twenty-fifth year BC by Herod I the Great, whom history knows as a cruel villain who, out of fear of losing his throne, ordered to kill all the babies in Bethlehem. So he tried to get rid of his main enemy - the newborn Christ. However, Herod I the Great left another trace in history - as a builder king. It was he who expanded the Temple Mount, reconstructed the Second Temple, and built the Amphitheater in the suburbs of Jerusalem, which subsequently organized horse races and gladiator fights.

Construction purposes

In honor of his dead brother, King Herod also erected a mausoleum with a tower. He is also credited with rebuilding Samaria and the port of Caesar, an amazing temple located on the island of Rhodes, as well asfoundation of Herodium and Hesebon in today's territory of Jordan.

Standing on top of an impregnable cliff, in a deserted desert area, the fortress of Masada had several tasks. Firstly, it was supposed to become a refuge where King Herod and his family could hide during the wars, and secondly, gold and weapons were stored here.

Description

Masada Fortress rises 450 meters above the Dead Sea. It stands on the site of a Hasmonean period building, which, judging by the documents, dates back to the thirties before our era. And today here tourists are shown how skillfully the water supply system and baths were arranged, reminiscent of Roman baths. The fortress of Masada was used mainly to store weapons and food here, but those close to the king knew that his inexhaustible reserves of gold were hidden here.

Inaccessibility

From all sides the building is surrounded by sheer cliffs, and only from the side of the sea a narrow “serpentine” path led up to it, which is still there today. On the western side, the ancient fortress of Masada is connected to the outside world by a path that was built on the embankment laid by the Romans. The length of the journey is approximately thirty minutes.

Masada Fortress is built on top of a cliff, which is crowned by an almost flat plateau with dimensions of approximately 300 x 600 meters. It was on this trapezoidal platform that there was a synagogue, the royal palace itself, armories, auxiliary buildings, pits for collecting and subsequent storage of rainwater. Along the perimeter of the plateau is surrounded by a powerfulfortress wall. Its total length is 1400 meters. The height of the fortress wall was about four meters. It has 37 towers.

Archaeological finds

And today in the fortress, tourists can see the palace where King Herod and his family hid during the endless wars, the synagogue where he prayed, fragments of amazing mosaics. Water tanks carved into the rock mass, as well as hot and cold baths, amaze with their engineering. But the most striking find, judging by the opinions of archaeologists and historians, is the synagogue. It has long been assumed that the Jews did not need it, since they had a Temple. However, this finding surprised experts. The fact is that the fortress of Masada was reconstructed at a time when the Second Jerusalem Temple still existed, which was restored by Herod himself. Nevertheless, the synagogue existed in it. It must be said that a similar find was also found among the ruins of the ancient fortress of Gamla. This was precisely the proof that among the ancient Jews the issue of the existence of the synagogue was not connected with the Temple.

Chronicle

In the seventieth year of our calendar, the Romans, having suppressed the uprising, were able to capture and destroy Jerusalem. However, for the final celebration of the victory, they still had to capture the fortress of Masada, in which the few remaining rebels managed to hide. It would seem that the latter is no longer in danger. After all, the Masada fortress, which was surrounded by sheer cliffs and a high fortress wall,hitherto considered impregnable. But against the rebels, who numbered about a thousand people, and along with children and women, there was an experienced and, most importantly, numerous army of the Romans. Therefore, the besiegers managed to surround the fortress. Having set up numerous military camps around it, the Romans began to build a huge embankment, which was supposed to become a road to the fortress wall.

So, the Romans laid siege to the fortress, set up several military camps around it and began to build a giant mound to the fortress wall. It was intended not only to advance the infantry, but also to transport throwing guns, as well as a ram. The fate of the fortress was sealed. The rebels had nowhere to wait for help. The appearance of the Roman army inside the fortress, the destruction of its walls by a ram was expected in the very next few hours. But the proud Jews, not wanting humiliation and slavery, including for their children, took the most desperate step. The defenders of the fortress, having decided not to leave any trophies to the Romans, burned all the property in the fortress. They left only food and water, thus showing the legionnaires that they did not have a shortage of provisions, nevertheless they chose to die, preferring to die free.

The most tragic page in history

After that, lots were cast: ten soldiers chosen as a result killed all those who were hiding in the fortress at that time, both their close comrades and women and children, including their own. Then they chose one who, after killing the other nine, committed suicide. This tragic pageThe annals of the famous ancient fortress were brought to this day by Josephus Flavius, writing about it in a book called "The Jewish War". He, relying on the stories of two women and several children who managed to hide in a cave and subsequently tell about what happened, truthfully conveyed everything said by the witnesses. The reliability of his story was also confirmed by archaeological finds - several tablets on which the names of those who participated in this death lot were written. In addition, the ruins of camps set up by Roman legionaries have survived to this day around the fortress.

Masada today

Today, you can climb to this attraction, which is included in almost any sightseeing tours in Israel, by the cable car built to it. The cost of the trip is about twenty dollars. Daredevils and lovers of overcoming obstacles can reach the fortress both along the “serpentine path” from the Dead Sea, and along the earthen rampart built by the Romans during the famous siege. However, most tourists still choose the cable car.

Tourist information

At the foot of the "snake" path there is parking for cars. There is also an information center where tourists can purchase tickets to enter the fortress, as well as to climb the funicular. There is also a museum in which artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations are laid out. Weather permitting, Masada turns into a concert hall for music and cultural events.