Israel and You Spaces and Places in Israel
Masada is a rugged natural fortress, of majestic beauty, in the Judaean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. It is a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel, its violent destruction and the last stand of Jewish patriots in the face of the Roman army, in 73 A.D. It was built as a palace complex, in the classic style of the early Roman Empire, by Herod the Great, King of Judaea, (reigned 37 – 4 B.C.). The camps, fortifications and attack ramp that encircle the monument constitute the most complete Roman siege works surviving to the present day.
Masada is a dramatically located site of great natural beauty overlooking the Dead Sea, a rugged natural fortress on which the Judaean king Herod the Great constructed a sumptuous palace complex in classical Roman style. After Judaea became a province of the Roman Empire, it was the refuge of the last survivors of the Jewish revolt, who chose death rather than slavery when the Roman besiegers broke through their defences. As such it has an emblematic value for the Jewish people.
It is also an archaeological site of great significance. The remains of Herod’s palaces are outstanding and very intact examples of this type of architecture, whilst the untouched siegeworks are the finest and most complete anywhere in the Roman world.
Parking
Massada horst
Massada Youth Hostel
Entrance to Massada
Model
Ballista balls
Cable car
Cable car
The Snake Trail
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Masada – World Heritage Site
The Masada complex, built by Herod the Great, King of Judaea, who reigned between 37 BCE and 4 CE, and particularly the “hanging” palace with its three terraces, is an outstanding example of opulent architectural design, elaborately engineered and constructed in extreme conditions. The palace on the northern face of the dramatic mountain site consists of an exceptional group of classical Roman Imperial buildings. The water system was particularly sophisticated, collecting run-off water from a single day’s rain to sustain life for a thousand people over a period of two to three years. This achievement allowed the transformation of a barren, isolated, arid hilltop into a lavish royal retreat.
When this natural defensive site, further strengthened by massive walls, was occupied by survivors of the Jewish Revolt against Roman rule, it was successfully besieged by a massive Roman army. The military camps, siegeworks and an attack ramp that encircle the site, and a network of legionary fortresses of quadrilateral plan, are the most complete anywhere in the Roman world. Masada is a poignant symbol of the continuing human struggle between oppression and liberty.
- Masada is a symbol of the ancient Jewish Kingdom of Israel, of its violent destruction in the later 1st century CE, and of the subsequent Diaspora.
- The Palace of Herod the Great at Masada is an outstanding example of a luxurious villa of the Early Roman Empire, whilst the camps and other fortifications that encircle the monument constitute the finest and most complete Roman siege works to have survived to the present day.
- The tragic events during the last days of the Jewish refugees who occupied the fortress and palace of Masada make it a symbol both of Jewish cultural identity and, more universally, of the continuing human struggle between oppression and liberty.
Roman Camps
View from above the Ramp
Byzantine Church
Western Palace
Bath in Western Palace
Mikvah
Public Bath House
Beit Midrash
Columbarium
Swimming Pool
Souther Cistern
Synagogue
Model of Aquaducts and Cisterns
Store rooms
Bath House
Northern Palace – Top floor
Northern Palace – Bottom floor
Aquaducts and Cisterns
Ramp
Hill of the Grave
Models at foot of the Ramp
MASADA , ISRAEL – A WALKING TRAVEL TOUR
Masada Call Centre
For your connivance Masada has set up a dedicated call centre
You can get all the information and you can Book your visit to Masada National Park
- Access for the disabled to most locations
- Accommodation
Masada offers complete facilities for Corporate functions & family celebrations such as weddings & Bar Mitzvas up to 1200 people
Telephone: +97286593607order@masada.org.il
If you are thirsty on the way home
Dutch
Spanish
Massada Guest House & Youth Hostel
Featuring an outdoor pool and air conditioning, Massada Guest House & Youth Hostel lies at the foot of the Massada plateau on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert. It features en suite rooms and dormitories with free Wi-Fi.
Accommodation at the Massada Guest House is air conditioned and is fitted with a kettle, cable TV and fridge. Rooms have functional furniture and tiled floors and the bathroom is complete with toiletries and a shower.
On the shores of the Dead Sea, the Ein Gedi Spa and the beach are about a 15-minute drive from the property. You can go for a walk along marked routes close to the desert streams. Alternatively, you can go for a panoramic moonlit tour around the Massada and Sdom marlstones.
Hostel: 81 rooms
