Ancient fortress Masada. Masada fortress - the last line of defense of the Jews

He stood on top of a sheer cliff. Behind the back - the sea, at the foot - thousands of Romans besieging the fortress, which became the last refuge of his people, who rebelled against the power of the Roman conquerors.

“We will die, but we will die free,” Elazar ben Yair, the leader of the Sicarii, a radical part of the Jewish community, addressed the people. - Our ancestors did not have such an opportunity. They died as slaves. We will die free people, so as not to bring joy to our enemy to mock us.

About a thousand warriors first killed their wives and children, and then they cast lots and chose ten, who were given the right to kill all the other male Sicarii with daggers. Strong warriors died hugging the bodies of their children. Better to die than be enslaved, they were convinced. The last remaining sicarii killed himself.

It happened in 73 AD - the night before the fall of Masada - one of the most ancient fortresses remaining in the world. Masada is the fortress of freedom. So and only so the descendants of the ancient Sicarii call it today.

History of the fortress

Masada is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fortress was built over 2 thousand years ago on a sheer cliff at an altitude of 450 meters above the Dead Sea by the great Herod I, the king of the Edomites who converted to Judaism. He was known as a cruel tyrant, but he was also a great builder. He built Masada for two purposes: to protect himself and his family and to hide huge reserves of royal gold there.

Masada still looks impregnable. A narrow path, called a snake, on the one hand, and an embankment built by the Romans during the siege of the fortress on the other - that's all the approaches to the fortress. A four-meter two-row wall, 36 watchtowers, four gates and sheer cliffs reliably protected Masada from enemies.

The ancient fortress of Herod was a model of engineering for those times. In addition to the two royal palaces, complex hydraulic structures were located on the plateau, providing the inhabitants of the fortress with water, as well as cold and hot baths, warehouses for weapons and provisions, and a synagogue.

Jewish War

After the death of Herod the Great, Judea was captured by the Romans. It was a terrible era for the Jews. The second Temple of their faith, built by Herod, was destroyed, the Jews were enslaved, their faith was trampled. All this led to the fact that in 66 AD a rebellion broke out there. It was headed by the radical part of Judea - the sicaria. The uprising was the beginning of the Jewish War.

In the 70th year, the tenth Roman legion arrived in Judea, which dealt a crushing blow to the rebels. The last group of Sicarii, about 1000 people, took refuge in the fortress of Masada. And her siege began.

9 thousand slaves built embankments for the Romans to install rams and start an assault on a seemingly impregnable fortress. Masada's defenders responded by building another inner defensive wall. But the Romans set fire to it. And when it became absolutely clear that the fortress could not be held, the rebels decided to kill themselves and their children in order to die free, not slaves.

Lost fortress. Start recovery

After the fall of the defenders of Masada at the beginning of the first millennium, the Roman legions stood there for several decades, but then they left. The fortress was deserted and began to collapse.

Its remains were found only in 1862, but only a hundred years later real excavations began here.

Today, Masada is almost completely restored. Where the historical part ends and the restored part begins, there is a solid black line.

Surprisingly, a lot has been preserved in the fortress. And the Northern Royal Palace (a stunning three-level structure hanging over a cliff), and a synagogue, and water tanks. Archaeologists have even found nameplates that the Sicarii drew lots to determine ten warriors who would kill all the Jews who were still alive before the surrender of Masada.

A special spirit of freedom, grandeur and loneliness reigns here.

Underfoot is the endless desert and the deserted Dead Sea. A stunning view opens from the western part of the fortress, from the side of the desert.

The fortress really makes a strong impression. Especially the three-level royal palace, which is perfectly preserved. There, by the way, there was another one, from the western part of the fortress, which was considered the official residence of Herod. But little is left of it.

But in detail you can see the ancient synagogue. The fact that she was found there in principle is an important historical discovery. It used to be thought that the Jews did not build synagogues as long as the Temple existed for them. The period of construction of Masada refers to the era of the Second Temple, that is, it was, but the synagogues, nevertheless, were built by the Jews.

But this, of course, is a fact that interests scientists more. And for tourists it will be more interesting just to look down from the cliff.

There, at its foot, the land dried up by the sun still keeps the places of parking of the Roman legionnaires. In 73, the tenth Roman legion under the command of Flavius ​​Silva surrounded the fortress, setting up several camps. Here are the contours of these very camps and are visible from the fortress walls. And the embankment built by the slaves to lay siege to the fortress is now used by the Israeli army.

Even in Masada, ancient frescoes, mosaics, and drawings have been preserved. Water tanks, floors above water tanks - to keep rooms cool. It is worth looking at it just because the age of these things is more than two thousand years!

Masada - for tourists

Today Masada is one of the main attractions of Israel. For the convenience of tourists, a guest house was erected here, where you can not only sit comfortably, leave your car under a canopy and have a bite, but also watch a documentary film about the history of the fortress, get acquainted with the preserved artifacts.

The funicular, which has recently started working here, will take you to the fortress itself.

Masada also regularly hosts classical music festivals. For several days a year, the fortress turns into an amphitheater with excellent acoustics and amazing historical surroundings. And, of course, it is impossible to miss the amazing pyrotechnic shows, when the Legend comes to life against the backdrop of illuminated mountains.

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.

Landmarks 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 are concentrated in Jerusalem: this is 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. It received the name "Wailing Wall" in the sixteenth century. Today, here Jews and tourists pray or repent of sins, leaving notes addressed to the Almighty in the cracks.
Among the sights of Israel, one cannot fail to mention those that are located in Nazareth, sacred to all Christians, the city in which Christ spent his childhood and youth, 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.

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.

The variegated colors of the city streets, the multinational hubbub and artifacts of all the 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 Judean Desert, seaside resorts, etc., only increases the army of tourists.

Israel, being a tiny piece of land surrounded by seas, deserts, forests and mountains, has today become a modern country, suffered and built by many generations of Jews. 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. Excursions here are booked by every traveler.

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 away. The ancient fortress of Masada is located near the city of Arad, next to the Ein Gedi highway.

Story

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 the killing of all 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 reconstructed the Second Temple, and built the Amphitheater in the suburbs of Jerusalem, in which horse races and gladiator fights were subsequently organized.

Construction goals

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

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, reminiscent of Roman baths, were arranged. The fortress of Masada was used mainly to store weapons and food here, but the king's associates 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 still exists today. On the western side, the ancient fortress of Masada is connected to the outside world by a path that was built on a mound laid by the Romans. The length of the journey is approximately thirty minutes.

The fortress of Masada 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. A powerful fortress wall surrounds the plateau along the perimeter. 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 in which King Herod and his family hid during the endless wars, the synagogue in which he prayed, and 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, which was restored by Herod himself, still existed. 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 is precisely what became the proof that among the ancient Jews the question 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, was still 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, 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 page in the annals of the famous ancient fortress has been brought to our days by 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, around the fortress, the ruins of camps set up by Roman legionaries have survived to this day.

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.

Information for tourists

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. When the weather is fine, Masada turns into a concert hall, where music is played and cultural events are held.

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Fortress Masada

"Fortress Masada"

The fortress of Masada is a completely isolated fortification, where the rebellious Jews, led by Elazar Ben-Yair, resisted the army of the Roman Empire during the time of Flavius ​​Silva. The fortress is located near Jerusalem and is one of the symbols of the heroism of the Jewish people.

The word masada is the Hebrew word "metzada", but in Greek pronunciation, which means the word fortress.

Masada Fortress is built on a flat rock top near the Dead Sea. This geographical location of the fortress, where there is only one bare desert around and the nearest settlements with wells were tens of kilometers away, made the Masada fortress not a criminal refuge.

The history of the fortress of Masada is repeatedly mentioned in many works of Jews and Roman historians. Flavius ​​Josephus wrote that the fortress was founded by the Jewish priest Jonathan Hasmoney, after which King Herod fortified the fortress with double walls and towers. King Herod counted on sustaining a long siege of the fortress, so he organized the construction of public bathhouses, huge warehouses and a reservoir, as well as barracks for a permanent garrison of 800 soldiers.

"Fortress Masada"

Masada Fortress is located on a flat rocky ridge at an altitude of 450 meters above the Dead Sea, and the length of the ridge is more than 600 meters and 300 meters wide. The fortress is very protected: the walls adjoin steep 300-meter slopes, and the only two approaches to the fortress are presented in the form of narrow and winding paths two people wide.

After the era of King Herod, the fortress housed the Roman garrison, which in 66 AD. was exterminated during the 1st Jewish War under the leadership of Menachem Ben-Yehuda of Galilee. After his assassination in 67, the nephew organized a community of extremist fellow tribesmen in the fortress, who stayed there until 73.

During the first Jewish War, in the spring of 70, the Roman legion under the leadership of Emperor Titus approached Jerusalem and began to lay siege to it. The inhabitants of the city fought fiercely, but in August the city was captured. The resistance of the inhabitants survived only in the fortresses of Mahero, Masada and in the castle of King Herod, which was captured without difficulty.

"Fortress Masada"

In 71, the capture of the Mahero fortress was difficult, but after several attempts, the Roman soldiers managed to capture the fortress.

The siege of the fortress of Masada showed that without powerful siege mechanisms it would not be possible to carry out, the siege dragged on. New slaves from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, about ten thousand Jews, built roads for several months and carried earth, tree logs to build a huge siege rampart at the western wall of the fortress. The height of the embankment reached 100 meters, then a siege tower of 25 meters was built with a battering ram at the level of the walls. The remains of this earthen rampart have survived to this day.

The tragedy of the defenders of the fortress of Masada was that the Roman army could indeed capture the fortress. The leader of the defenders, Elazar Ben-Yair, persuaded his fellow tribesmen that it was better to die as free people than to become slaves of the Roman Empire. Hundreds of men, their wives and children decided to choose death.

The faith of Judaism perceives suicide as the most terrible sin for a Jew, so ten men were chosen by lot, who killed all 960 inhabitants of the fortress with knives.

"Fortress Masada"

They set fire to all buildings and valuables, but left all the food untouched, so that the Romans would know that hunger did not make them commit suicide. Then these ten men cast lots on the one who would kill nine of them. Thus, only one person was a suicide, who, remaining the last defender, cut his own throat.

On the morning of April 15, 73, the protective wall of the fortress was broken and the Roman soldiers broke into the protective walls. The soldiers were shocked by what they saw: hundreds of dead bodies of people and burned buildings.

The fortress became a Roman garrison until the 6th century, and with the onset of the decline of the empire, it quickly became empty. After the Byzantine Christians settled in the local caves and built a Byzantine church, they became the owners of the fortress for several hundred years. Then the fortress became uninhabited and then forgotten. Since the fortress was newly discovered in 1839 by American archaeologists, they identified the fortress according to the records of Josephus Flavius.

The Masada fortress is under the protection of UNESCO.

The fortress has survived to this day in fairly good condition.

Buildings for grain and weapons, a water supply system and Roman baths. The total length of the fortress walls is almost 1400 meters and 37 towers, in some places the thickness of the walls reaches 4 meters. On the territory of the fortress, a synagogue and a church, as well as the palace of King Herod, have been preserved.

In 1963, mass excavations began, during which stone plates with Jewish names were found, which were probably used by ten men who killed the defenders of the fortress.

In 1971, a funicular was built to make it easier for tourists to climb the fortress.

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In Israel, near Dead Sea, the road around which is considered the lowest point on Earth (height -427 meters), near its southwestern coast, on the flat top of one of the mountains, at an altitude of 450 meters, there is an ancient Masada fortress. It is notable for lovers of historical events in that King Herod the Great built himself a refuge here, the same one who reconstructed the Second Temple and built an amphitheater in Jerusalem. The ruins of the palace of King Herod still attract many tourists. And I was very worried about the questions why and by whom Masada was built and then destroyed? As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Masada is interesting both as a cultural and historical site. And just climbing to its top on foot along the snake path is so interesting!

In fact, the territory through which highway 90 passes, leading to Eilat in the very south of Israel, is Palestine. But buses and cars with Jewish numbers drive around here freely, unlike in other regions. From the central bus station, located in Jerusalem on Jaffa Street, buses run towards the Dead Sea. You can drive to the extreme point of the route, and then return back. So, the fare is 36 shekels. Again, the Martian landscape will begin outside the window, then the Dead Sea will appear, blue and cold.

Masada will fall no more

For me, the destination was precisely Masada (Masada, pronounced Mezada with an emphasis on the first syllable), the national Jewish pride. The Jews, pursing their lips, woefully exclaim - The fall of Masada must not happen again! This is a reason for pride, these are tears of shame. And the young soldiers of the Israeli army, taking the oath, solemnly swear: "Masada will not fall again!"

Climbing Masada on the Serpentine Path

The fortress of Masada is located on a mountain 450 meters high. The Jews of the 1st century AD climbed up the snake path and did it very skillfully. At least the Romans, who had been besieging the fortress city of the Zealot rebels for about two years, did not dare to go upstairs, not wanting to waste their strength in vain. Patiently waiting for the enemy to surrender, they camped around the mountain. The Jews did not give up, but all committed suicide so as not to be defeated. If you want to experience this, this pain and the courage of ancient people, pay 27 shekels for the entrance to the park and go up the comfortable ladders (the Zealots did not have such luxury!) up! 700 steps - so much you have to go to get to the top! And if such a climb seems to you too long (from an hour to an hour and a half) and tiring, you can always use the funicular (72 shekels) and be on top in about three minutes.

Of course, I went to Masada on foot. My interest is history in feelings and emotions, so the funicular will only put a boundary between me and the people who lived here two thousand years ago. The snake trail really turned out to be snake. Winding from stone to stone, she gradually raised everything to a greater height. Every time I look back, I notice the beautiful views that open up to my eyes. Yet the desert can be delightfully beautiful and bewitching. The Dead Sea, which is connected here by a thin strait, attracted the eye. The people below looked like little figures. So the Romans in their brilliant armor certainly seemed to the Jews a weak opponent.

Winding trail

The cable car will quickly take you to the Masada fortress

Railings installed along narrow, difficult hill climb sections

Here begins the ascent to the hill with the fortress of Masada

View of the Dead Sea from the hillside

The path circles the hill

Remains of a Roman camp at the foot of Mount Masada

Valley and sea

Dead Sea

Beauty in the distance

Masada Fort Tour

The ruins of the partially restored fortress leave a grandiose impression. These buildings, standing under the scorching sun, are a scattered sand color, witnesses of courage and valor. The beautiful Northern Palace of King Herod, consisting of three tiers, has preserved colorful frescoes. It means that once it was not so deserted and deserted here. Brightness is a very brave act in the neighborhood of the Dead Sea.

View from the Masada fortress to the Dead Sea

chipped wall

Watch tower

Hall of Columns

Remains of columns

breathtaking view

black guests

Handsome man with orange feather

There is also plant life on top of the hill in Masada Fortress

Preserved columns of the lower level of the Northern Palace in Masada

Remains of the great palace

Ruins of the three-tiered Northern Palace at Masada

Unimaginable beauty

The fortress offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Wealthy Jewish Americans consider it an honor to hold a bar mitzvah for their children at the Masada Synagogue.

The fortress city is a completely autonomous structure capable of functioning for a long time. And if the Romans had not blocked access to water, they would not have had a single chance to take the mountain by storm.

Two columns and a wide staircase in the Synagogue

Heap of big stones

Fortifications in Masada

Big hall

The fortress of Masada is located on a high hill

It is useful to rewrite the bus schedule at the museum ticket office when you buy tickets, and calculate your time so that you are at the bottom before the bus appears. If you get hungry, then rejoice: this was taken care of and many restaurants await tired tourists, including a large McDonald's, located next to the ticket office and the visitor center.

How to get from Masada to the Dead Sea by bus

From Masada to the Dead Sea (Dead sea), more precisely to the free beach of Ein Gedi (Ein Gedi, do not confuse it with the Ein Gedi Spa Hotel) can be reached by bus for 18 shekels. This area of ​​the sea belongs to everyone and locals often swim here. Tourists from the CIS countries like to come here, so you will surely hear Russian speech. After the obligatory photo of you lying on the surface of the sea with a newspaper in your hands, don't forget to take a shower (they stand near the water's edge under the open sky) to wash the salt off your skin. And be careful not to get water in your eyes while swimming! This is very, very annoying!

Palm trees grow on the shores of the Dead Sea

Coast

Dead Sea - ancient Chernobyl?

The Dead Sea is quite an interesting place. It is a well-known fact that this is the lowest point on Earth, and the elevation difference when traveling from the highlands on which Jerusalem is located to the beach can be more than 500 meters. So get ready for some inconvenience if your blood pressure isn't all right. Personally, I found this place unkind. As if in ancient times some kind of tragedy happened here, that until now life cannot recover from its consequences. I believe the ancient people, just because they will not call the whole sea the Dead. Which means something happened here. I would compare this valley with Chernobyl, which is still in a state of non-existence.

On the shore of the Dead Sea

From one side of the sea you can see its opposite shore and Jordan

salt crystal

Your further journey by bus from the Dead Sea to Jerusalem will cost you - 31.5 shekels.

What else to see near Jerusalem

If you are based in Jerusalem then worth a visit Qumran caves, famous find site Essenes manuscripts. And if you still travel by car and are not indifferent to the beauties of nature and you don’t have enough views from the windows of buses, then the place Wadi Qelt, the mystical Martian desert, also deserves your attention. Roman aqueducts, monastery of St. George, the oldest synagogue in the world built by the Hasmoneans, water sources- all of them are waiting for visitors. All of these attractions are located along Highway 90, not far from.

Not far from the city of Arad. This unique architectural monument of the Hasmonean period is rightfully included in the number of attractions under the auspices of UNESCO.

History, description and photos of the Masada fortress in Israel

The fortress of Masada was founded Herod I in 25 BC. e. as a refuge for his family. It was built on the site of an older fortification of the Hasmonean period, which, by order of the king, was significantly expanded and improved. This fortification is surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs, and only a narrow “serpentine” path leads to it. In addition, the top of the plateau with the fortress located on it is surrounded by four-meter-thick walls, on which 37 towers towered.

The royal treasury was kept in Masada, as well as large stocks of food and weapons. A water supply system was equipped, palaces, Roman baths and a synagogue were built.

With the outbreak of the Jewish War in 66, the fortress was captured by Zealot zealots, who exterminated the Roman defenders, and in 67 the most radical representatives of this party settled here. Already in 70, after the Romans occupied Masada, Masada became the last refuge for thousands of rebellious Jews, including children and women. With such forces, the Zealots held the fortress for another three years, until in 73 the Romans managed to set fire to the internal fortifications with the help of throwing machines. After that, the surviving defenders killed women and children, and then each other, so as not to be captured by the enemy. The last of the Sicarii committed suicide.

Did you know? For a long time, the defense of Masada was considered a legend until archaeological evidence of these events was found.

The ruins of the Masada fortress were discovered in the middle of the 19th century, and thorough excavations began only in the 1960s. Since 1971, the Karl Brandl company from Switzerland has built a funicular that can take you up to this attraction.

The main attractions of the Masada fortress

Today, most of the buildings of the Masada fortress have partially survived:

• Herod's palace with surviving fragments of mosaics;
• rain water tanks, carved into the rocks;

• hot and cold baths;
• synagogue;
• armories and outbuildings.

The best preserved and of interest to tourists - "Hanging" And Western palaces.

Did you know? The most mysterious of the surviving buildings is the synagogue. Previously, scholars believed that the Jews did not have these places of worship until the fall of the Temple in 70 CE.

Entertainment

The main entertainment in the fortress of Masada - sound and light show. It is played at the western entrance to national park, and with the help of special effects recreates the last days in the tragic history of this ancient landmark and the heroic death of its defenders. Spectators take their places in a special amphitheater on the western part of the mountain, which can only be reached from the city of Arad. Simultaneously with light and music special effects, simultaneous translation is carried out in English, Spanish, French, German and Russian.

Other entertainment:

• restaurant;
• overnight stay for groups in the western part of the fortress;

• bar-cafe;
• the lowest cable car in the world.

How to get there

Masada Fortress is located on Highway 90, between the resort of Ein Bokek and the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. This attraction can be reached on foot. Serpentine path or funicular, whose station is located on the Dead Sea.

Important! To visit the Light and Sound Show, you need to drive up from the city of Arad (by car).

Excursion to the Masada fortress in Israel

In this video you will see an excursion to the Masada fortress. Enjoy watching!

Opening hours and cost of visiting

Prices

The cost of visiting the Masada fortress depends on the type of excursion you choose and the way to get to the attraction:

Ascent by funicular to the eastern side of the fortress

• individual excursion: for adults 61 NIS, for children 34 NIS;
• group tour: for adults 57 NIS, for children 33 NIS.

Hiking along the Serpentine Path (approximately 45-60 minutes)

• individual excursion: for adults 21 NIS, for children 12 NIS;
• group tour: for adults 19 NIS, for children 11 NIS.

Comprehensive visit to the park

• individual excursion: for adults 45 NIS, for children 22 NIS;
• group tour: for adults 41 NIS, for children 20 NIS.

Working mode

Important! Be careful on Fridays and the days of the main holidays, the park and the funicular close one hour earlier.

Fortress opening hours

• from April to September: opening at 8:00, closing at 17:00;
• from October to March: opening at 8:00, closing at 16:00.

Funicular opening hours

• Sunday-Thursday and Saturday: from 8:00 to 16:00;
• winter: from 8:00 to 15:00;
• Friday is a day off.