Old fortress of Masada in Israel
A trip to Israel It is first and foremost a Cultural trip where you can discover the places where great historical events happened.
In this regard, one of the places most visited by tourists who travel to Israel is Masada, some archaeological remains which are currently considered one of the National Parks from that country.
Masada it was a great fortress with palaces and other rooms, which he ordered to build the king Herod in the year 30 B.C. atop a large rocky promontory located near the Dead Sea.
Gondola lift to climb Masada in Israel
Currently declared World Heritage by Unesco, on your trip you can now visit the archaeological remains that are conserved in the plateau that occupies this species of truncated pyramid of 450 meters high with respect to the level of the Dead Sea.
I anticipate that from this enclave you will have some spectacular eastward Panoramic views of the aforementioned Dead Sea.
As a curiosity I will tell you that this sea is 400 meters below the level of the Mediterranean, and in front of Masada you have the mountains of the current territory of Jordan at the bottom.
And to the west you will see the landscapes that correspond to the judea desert.
Siege History Masada
But Masada It is mostly known for a great event that in history has remained as symbol of the Jewish heroism.
This is considered the collective suicide that occurred in Masada, in a way similar to what happened in the Celtiberian city of Numancia during the occupation of the Romans in Spain.
After the death of Herod, the great Masada fortress, characterized by its impregnable location due to the cliffs that surround it, was in the hands of the Roman empire.
In A.D. 66, after the beginning of First Roman Judeo War, a community of the most violent group of Jews of the time, the zealots, attacked by surprise Masada And they occupied it.
After finishing the aforementioned revolt with the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, in the year 70 A.D. Rome decided to send to Masada a legion that established eight camps that surrounded the impregnable fortress with the aim of starting a siege.
Panoramic views of the Dead Sea from Masada in Israel
But the truth is that Masada It had stored food that could withstand up to seven years, as well as an ingenious water supply system.
After two years of siege, the Romans finally decided to tackle the attack of the fortress.
To that end, the slaves began to build a big ramp of land more than 100 meters high that allowed to approach the fortress walls.
After several weeks of construction, the Romans built a large wooden tower with catapults so that the troops were going to be able to carry out a definitive assault.
Masada archeological remains in Israel
Faced with this situation, the Jews met and decided that they preferred to die before being captured to become slaves.
To carry out the collective suicide, they decided to draw a raffle among the men so that it was decided who would be the last one to be alive.
Each man killed his family and the last one killed all the men in the community before committing suicide.
When the Romans finally carried out the final assault, they encountered the dramatic scene of collective suicide.
I remind you that of the Masada story director Boris Sagal filmed in 1981 a mini-TV series starringPeter O'Toole,
Before climbing to the plateau where the remains of Masada, at Visitors Center you will see a documentary film presentation of the enclave which includes scenes from that movie.
Way of the Serpent to walk up to Masada
How to climb Masada
For visit the fortress of Masada, maybe you might want to meet her in one of the guided tours in Spanish that leave both from Tel Aviv like Jerusalem.
If on the contrary you prefergo up to visit the archaeological remains of Masada On your own, we show you the three options you have.
On the one hand, and the most common among visitors, is get to Masada by the road that runs along the Dead Sea, where will you access the Visitors Center And to the museum.
You can walk up a very steep and winding path, known as the Path of the Snake, whose access is open to the public one hour before dawn, and what will take you an hour of walking.
Roman baths in the archaeological remains of Masada in Israel
Or what most visitors do, get on a cable car to the top of the plateau.
And the third option is to reach Masada on a winding road that passes by Arad access the west side of the park, and walk up the Path of the Ramp.
This is the same route that the Romans used for the final attack, and it will be a walk of less than half an hour.
What to see in Masada
Once you reach the plateau where the site of the old fortification is located, on your walk through it you can see numerous archaeological remains, among which stand out what was the palace of the king Herod.
Masada archeological remains in Israel
In this area you can see the terraces from where you have stunning views.
You will also see some roman baths, with areas that preserve painted mosaics and murals, and also the remains of large storage rooms, especially cereals, wine and oil.
You will also go through corners that correspond to what was a mikve (Jewish ritual bath), a synagogue, watchtowers or even an ancient Byzantine church.
By all the archaeological site of Masada rest areas with benches and canvas roofs are available, which is essential for tourists because the visit in much of the year is very hot.
In these areas there are information panels that explain the history of the various corners of the site, or curiosities such as the water supply system of the fortress.
Views of the Dead Sea from Masada in Israel
In sum, a really essential visit for the imposing desert landscapes that you can see and the dramatic history that surrounds it.
Masada schedules
The schedules to visit Masada they are, every day of the week, from 8 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon, except on Fridays, that the national park closes at 4 in the afternoon.
In winter the park closes an hour before.
Here you can check all the Useful information to visit Masada, including ticket prices.
