Masada fortress: description, history. Israel Attractions

Israel today is well deservedly considered one of the most amazing places in the world. And it's not just that the miracles described in the Bible happened on this earth, but that here are the most important sacred places for Christians.

Israel Attractions

It is not surprising that the Promised Land is one of the most popular and popular destinations for tourists. Travelers from all countries come to Israel to come in contact with unique shrines, plunge into ancient history and relax on the shores of the Red Sea or the Dead Sea.

The sights of this land are unique. In no other place can you see so many sacred relics and religious buildings. Most of the holy places of Israel are concentrated in Jerusalem: the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Dome of the Rock Mosque, the Church of St. Mary Magdalene and, of course, the Wailing Wall is one of the main attractions of the Promised Land. It is a sacral site located on the western slope of the Temple Mount - part of an ancient wall erected around the temple built by King Solomon. The name "The Wailing Wall" she received in the sixteenth century. Today, here Jews and tourists pray or pray for sins, leaving in the slots the notes addressed to the Almighty.
Among the sights of Israel, we can not fail to mention those who are in the sacred for all Christians Nazareth - the city where the childhood and youth of Christ took place, and where the miracle of the Good News happened. Above the eponymous grotto stands a beautiful Catholic church in honor of the Annunciation.

Interesting places for tourists

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

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

Fortress of Masada

Israel, being a tiny piece of land surrounded by seas, deserts, forests and mountains, has turned today into a modern country, suffered and built by many generations of Jews. And if you list all the landmark places of this state, then one of them should definitely visit. The first ten most popular tourist attractions are the Masada fortress in Israel. Excursions are booked here by every traveler.

How to get there

Very often in Russians this word causes some perplexity. The reason is that the Masada fortress in many people is associated with the Israeli special services 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 away. The ancient Masada fortress is located near the town of Arad, near the Ein Gedi highway.

History

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

Objectives of construction

In honor of his deceased 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 as the foundation of Herodium and Hesson in today's Jordan.

Standing on the top of an impregnable rock, on a deserted desert territory, the Masada fortress had several tasks. First, it had to be a refuge, where King Herod and his family could hide during wars, and secondly, they kept gold and weapons.

Description

The fortress of Masada rises over the Dead Sea for 450 meters. It stands on the site of the construction of the Hasmonean period, which, judging by the documents, dates back to the thirties before our era. And today, tourists are shown here how the water supply system and baths reminiscent of Roman baths were skilfully constructed. The fortress of Masada was used mainly to preserve weapons and food, but the czar's acquaintances knew that his inexhaustible gold reserves were hidden here.

Inaccessibility

On all sides, the structure is surrounded by steep cliffs, and only from the sea side to it a narrow "snake" path, which is today, led to it. On the west side, the ancient Masada fortress with the outside world is connected along a path that was built on a Roman mound. The length of the route is about thirty minutes.

The fortress of Masada is built on top of a cliff, which is crowned with a practically flat plateau with dimensions of approximately 300 x 600 meters. It was on this trapezoid site that there was a synagogue, the royal palace itself, weapons warehouses, auxiliary buildings, pits for collection and subsequent storage of rainwater. A powerful fortress wall surrounds the plateau around the perimeter. Its total length is 1400 meters. The height of the fortress wall was about four meters. It is built on the 37th tower.

Archaeological finds

And today in the fortress, tourists can see the palace in which King Herod was hiding during the endless wars with the family, the synagogue in which he prayed, fragments of amazing mosaics. The water tanks cut in the rock massif, as well as hot and cold baths, amaze with their engineering thought. But the most striking finding, judging by the opinions of archaeologists and historians, is a synagogue. It has long been accepted that the Jews did not need to have it because they had a Temple. However, this finding surprised the specialists. 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, there was a synagogue in it. It must be said that a similar find was found among the ruins of the ancient fortress Gamla. This was the proof that the ancient Jews had no question of the existence of the synagogue with the Temple.

Chronicle

In the seventieth year of our chronology, the Romans, suppressing the insurrection, were able to seize and destroy Jerusalem. However, for the final celebration of victory, they were to capture the fortress of Masada, in which a few rebels had survived. It would seem that the latter nothing more threatens. After all, the fortress of Masada, which was surrounded by steep cliffs and a high fortress wall, was still considered impregnable. But against the insurgents, which numbered about a thousand people, and together with the children and women, stood an experienced and, most importantly, a large army of Romans. Therefore, the besieging managed to surround the fortress. Having divided around her numerous military camps, the Romans began to build a huge mound, which was to become the road to the fortress wall.

So, the Romans besieged the fortress, smashed several military camps around it and began to build a huge mound to the fortress wall. It was preceded not only for the advancement of infantry, but also for the transport of missile guns, and also 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, unwilling to humiliated and slavery, including for their children, went to the most desperate step. Defenders of the fortress, deciding not to leave the Romans no trophies, burned all the property in the fortress. They left only food and water, thus showing the legionnaires that they had no shortage of provisions, yet they chose to die, preferring to die free.

The most tragic page of history

After that, lots were cast: ten of the selected soldiers 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 page of the chronicle of the famous ancient fortress has been brought to our time by Josephus Flavius, having written 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 talk about what happened, truthfully conveyed all that was said by the witnesses. The reliability of his narrative was also confirmed by archaeological finds - several tablets on which the names of those who participated in this death lot were written. In addition, around the fortress to this day preserved and the ruins of the camps, defeated by Roman legionaries.

Masada today

Today, climb to this landmark, which is included in almost any sightseeing tour of Israel, you can by cable car built to it. The cost of the trip is about twenty dollars. Brave and amateurs to overcome obstacles can reach the fortress as on the "snake path" from the Dead Sea, and built by the Romans during the famous siege of the earth shaft. However, most tourists still choose a cable car.

Information for tourists

Parking for cars is arranged at the foot of the "snake" path. There also operates an information center, where tourists can buy tickets to enter the fortress, as well as to climb the funicular. There is also a museum in which artifacts found during archeological excavations are laid out. In good weather, the Masada fortress turns into a concert hall, where music sounds and cultural events take place.