Masada מצדה

First glimpse of Masada	Masada National Park, one of the most important archaeological sites in Israel	Masada, a place I've wanted to visit since I saw the epic 1981 TV miniseries "Masada" with Peter O'Toole as the Roman commander	The 1300 ft cliffs of the eastern face of the fortress of Masada rising above the Dead Sea
Masada was the site of a siege of Jewish zealots by the Romans in 72-73 A.D.	Welcome to Masada National Park	Israeli flag with Masada - important focal point of Israeli nationalism	Masada - last Jewish bastion during the Great Revolt (66 AD-72 AD) commanded by Elazar ben Ya'ir, leader of the Sicarii Zealots
The new visitor's center at the base of the eastern face of Masada	You can reach the top via cable car or a for a more authentic experience, climb the Snake Path	Model of the plateau with the Fortress of Masada in the Visitor's Center	Sculpted model of Masada at the Visitor's Center
Masada Visitor's Center	Masada Visitor's Center	Masada - World Heritage Site	View of the Dead Sea from the Masada Visitor's Center
900m Aerial Ropeway to the top of Masada built in 1998	Masada Cable Car base station, elevation -257m (below sea level)	Remains of a Roman camp (one of eight) from the siege of 72-73 AD	View of the Snake Path from the cable car, Masada
Cyclist walking his bike down steps on the Snake Path	Shadow of the Masada Cable Car with the Snake Path	Shadow of the Masada Cable Car	Ascending Masada the easy way
Nearing the top of Masada	View from the upper cable car station at 33m above sea level	The cable car climbs 290m from the Visitor's Center	The eastern cliffs of Masada rising 455m above the level of the Dead Sea
View of the desert at the base of Masada, the Dead Sea and the runway of Bar Yehuda Airport	Archeological remains of a Roman camp from the Siege of Masada, 72-73 AD during the Great Revolt	Stone formations in the desert at the base of Masada along Highway 90	Walkway leading from the Cable Car station to the entrance of Masada where it meets the Snake Path
Southern Dead Sea seen from Masada	View of the Southern Dead Sea with the mountains of Jordan on the other side	Upper cable car station, Masada	Upper cable car station, Masada
Model of Masada seen from the northwest	Artists impression of the Fortress of Masada and the Roman Camps during the siege, 73 AD	Ruins of the Fortress of Masada	Masada was rediscovered in 1842 and excavated 1963-1965
Storehouses which helped the defenders withstand a long siege	Rows of storehouses at the north end of the plateau, Masada	The top of Masada measures 550m x 275m (1800 ft x 900 ft)	Ruins of Masada, partially reconstructed by Israeli archaeologists
View from the northern watchtower, Masada	The Quarry, Masada	The Quarry, Masada	Masada was built during the reign of Herod the Great (37 BC to 4 BC)
Color fragments decorating the inside of a Masada villa	The Dead Sea and Bar Yehuda Airport seen from the top of Masada	The Masada Visitors Center	Partially reconstructed storeroom - below the black line is the level of the original ruins
The north end of Masada with the bath house	Storerooms at the north end of Masada	Looking down on Herod's spectacularly situated Northern Palace	Model of Herod's Northern Palace
The view looking north from Masada	The view looking northwest from Masada with the remains of one of the 8 Roman siege camps	The 8 Roman siege camps (72-73 AD) housed 8000 Legionaries commanded by Falvius Silva	Masada was defended by 967 Jewish rebels (men, women and children)
The fall of Masada in 73 AD marked the end of the Jews in Palestine for almost 2 millenia	Jewish ritual bath, Masada	Herod's Bathhouse, Masada	Herod's Bathhouse, Masada
Steps leading down to the ruins of Herod's Northern Palace, Masada	Looking north from the steps to Herod's Northern Palace, Masada	The path to Herod's Northern Palace cut into the northwestern cliffs of Masada	Northwestern cliffs, Masada
Columns of Herod's Northern Palace, Masada	Columns of Herod's Northern Palace	Columns of Herod's Northern Palace, Masada	Columns of Herod's Northern Palace
The Roman Siege Ramp built on the western side of Masada	The Roman Siege Ramp built on the western side of Masada	Looking up at the upper terraces of Herod's Northern Palace, Masada	Lower terrace, Herod's Northern Palace, Masada
View of the badlands between Masada and the Dead Sea	Capital of a column, Herod's Northern Palace, Masada	The path to Herod's Northern Palace, Masada	Back at the storerooms on top of Masada with the Dead Sea and Jordan in the background
Tristram's Starling or Tristram's Grackle (Onychognathus tristramii), Masada	Tristram's Starling or Tristram's Grackle (Onychognathus tristramii), Masada	Mikveh - Jewish ritual bath, Masada	Northwestern ruins, Masada
Viewpoint overlooking the Roman camp on the cliffs to the northwest of Masada	Northern Cistern, Masada	Northern Cistern, Masada	Map of the Masada water supply
View from the Northern Palace Lookout, Masada	The Synagogue of Masada, the oldest in the world and the only one dating from the time of the Second Temple Period	Jewish scribe with a quill pen, Synagogue of Masada	Synagogue of Masada, restored to use
Northern Watchtower, Masada	Ruins on the west side of Masada - Columbarium Towers	Ruins on the west side of Masada	Construction detail, Masada
Looking down on the Roman Siege Ramp, Masada	The Breaching Point at the top of the Roman Siege Ramp	Artists impression of the Roman Siege Tower at the top of the ramp attacking the walls of Masada	Roman Siege Ramp, Masada - watch the TV miniseries for an excellent recreation of the siege of Masada
Due to high terrain to the west, the western face of Masada is much shorter than the eastern face	Tanner's Tower at the top of the present serpentine path leading up the western face of Masada	Byzantine West Gate - 4th or 5th C. AD when Byzantine monks occupied Masada	Byzantine West Gate, Masada
Ruins of the Western Palace, Masada	Rather than face defeat or capture by the Romans, the Jewish zealots defending Masada chose mass suicide instead	Byzantine Gate on the west side of Masada	Byzantine Gate on the west side of Masada
View of the Roman Siege Ramp leading up the western side of Masada	Panoramic looking to the west from Masada with the Roman Siege Ramp	Below the black line is original, above the back line is reconstruction from the 1960s	Cliffs across the valley to the southwest of Masada
Cliffs across the valley to the southwest of Masada	Cliffs across the valley to the southwest of Masada	Panoramic view to the southwest of Masada	Circular remains, Western Palace, Masada
Ruins of the southwestern walls of Masada	View from the southwestern walls, Masada	The center of the plateau, Masada	Small Palace, Masada
View to the southwest from Masada	The Southern Citadel, Masada	View to the southeast from the Southern Citadel, Masada	View to the south from the Southern Citadel, Masada
Panoramic view of to the southeast of Masada	Panoramic view of to the southeast of Masada	Panoramic view of to the southeast of Masada	Ruins of the Southern Citadel, Masada
Entrance to the southern cistern, Masada	Stairway carved into the top of the mountain leading to the southern cistern, Masada	Southern cistern, Masada	Southern Citadel, Masada
Place where the Israeli Defence Forces hold swearing-in ceremonies - "Masada Shall Not Fall Again"	View to the southeast from Masada	Visitors Center and the remains of a Roman camp, Masada	View through a breach in the southeastern wall, Masada
View to the southeast from Masada	The southeastern cliffs, Masada	The mountain to the south of Masada	Ruins of the eastern walls, Masada
View from the eastern walls, Masada	Wild gerbil, Masada	Caves inhabited by the Byzantine monks in the 4th & 5th Centuries	View of the Dead Sea from Masada
Ruins in the center of the plateau, Masada	Ruins in the center of the plateau, Masada	Byzantine Church, 5th C. AD	Mosaic floor of the Byzantine church, 5th C. AD
Mosaic floor of the Byzantine church, 5th C. AD	Byzantine Church, 5th C. AD, Masada	Nave, Byzantine Church, 5th C. AD	Byzantine Church of Masada, 5th C. AD
Byzantine Church of Masada, 5th C. AD	The top of the path leading down the western face of Masada	Western Path, Masada	Path down the western side of Masada built into the side of the Roman siege ramp
Western cliffs of Masada - the side the Romans chose for their assault	The Roman Siege Ramp, 72-73 BC, Masada	Looking south from the Roman Siege Ramp with the western cliffs of Masada on the left	The Roman Ramp, Masada
The path leading up the Roman Ramp to the west side of Masada	View south from the base of the Roman Siege Ramp, Masada	View northeast from the base of the Roman Siege Ramp, Masada	The terraces of Herod's Northern Palace, Masada
The terraces of Herod's Northern Palace, Masada	Panoramic view of the northwestern cliffs of Masada and the Dead Sea	The Roman Siege Wall - Circumvallation, Masada	Burial site of the remains found during excavation of Masada
The Remains of the Last Defenders of Masada Who Had Fallen Three Years After the Destruction of the Second Temple (73 C.E.)	Looking up at Masada and the Roman Siege Ramp from the Tomb of the Defenders, Masada	The Roman Siege Ramp where the walls of Masada were breached in 73 AD	Panoramic view of the western face of Masada and the Roman Siege Ramp
Panoramic view of the western face of Masada and the Roman Siege Ramp	Panoramic view of the western face of Masada and the Roman Siege Ramp	Panoramic view of the western face of Masada and the Roman Siege Ramp	Masada National Park World Heritage Site
The northern half of the western face of Masada	The Roman siege ramp on the west face of Masada, 73 A.D.	View of Masada from the Sound-and-Light Theatre on the northwest side	An incredible amount of work - the Roman Siege Ramp, Masada
The western side of Masada is reachable by road via Arad or on foot via the Roman Ramp path	Masada seen from the west, late afternoon	Reconstruction of a Roman siege engine at the Masada Sound and Light Theatre	Recreations of Roman equipment at the Sound and Light Theater, Masada
Valley to the southwest of Masada	Climbing back up the Roman Siege Ramp path	Herod's Northern Palace with the sheer cliffs of Masada	Roman Siege Ramp, Masada
Path leading up the Roman Siege Ramp to the west side of Masada	Tower overlooking the Roman Siege Ramp, Masada	Looking south from the Roman Siege Ramp, Masada	Stair leading to the Byzantine Gate, Masada
Tanner's Tower, Masada	Byzantine Gate (4th-5th C), Masada	Descending again by cable car	Descent by cable car
Stairs of the Snake Path, Masada	The cliffs of the mountain to the south of Masada from the cable car, late afternoon	The cliffs of the mountain to the south of Masada from the cable car, late afternoon	The cliffs of the mountain to the south of Masada from the cable car, late afternoon
The mountain south of Masada from the cable car	Jordan Rift Valley floor, Masada	VIP guest at Masada	Masada Guest House (YHA)