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<\/a><\/p>\nThe Dome of the Rock The Al-Aqsa mosque (on the south end of the Temple Mount) The Golden Gate (east wall of the temple mount).\u00a0 It’s been sealed and a Muslim cemetery placed in front of it. Bone boxes (Ossuaries).\u00a0 In Jewish burial, the body is wrapped in a shroud until it completely decays.\u00a0 Eventually, when on the bones remain, they are gathered and placed into an ossuary for final burial. This photo is taken from the traditional location where Jesus stopped and wept over the city.\u00a0 In the foreground is the largest Jewish cemetery in the world (located on the Mount of Olives)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Inside the private side of the Garden of Gethsemane Worship and devotions inside the Garden of Gethsemane Olive trees in the Garden.\u00a0 Of course, this is the Mount of Olives! Here we’re entering the city through the “Lion Gate” (also known as Stephen’s Gate) This is the church of Saint Anne.\u00a0 It is immediately adjacent to the biblical site of the Pool of Bethesda.\u00a0 It is known for it’s amazing accoustics. Our small group sang a hymn and it sounded like a 100-person choir! This is the sight of one of Jesus many miracles, where he healed a lame man.\u00a0 The ruins are of a church that was constructed over the pool Another exterior shot of the church of Saint Anne We’re moving to the first station on the Via Delorosa.\u00a0 The (now destroyed) Antonia Fortress would have been located immediately to our left. Our guide shows us a model of 1st century Jerusalem.\u00a0 The building we are standing in is built on top of the court outside the Antonia Fortress, where Jesus was tried before Pontius Pilate Beneath the church is the original first-century court of the Antonia Fortress This lighted paving stone is inscribed with a game that Roman soldiers played with prisoners – essentially heads you die, tails you die. It is believed this is the location where Jesus was forced to pick up his cross and begin His journey to the place of execution.\u00a0 Those are first century paving stones. That moment is depicted in a tile mosaic adjacent to the site. Continuing along the Via Delorosa At this site it’s thought that Simon the Cyrene was forced to carry Jesus’ cross for Him This is the entrance to the square in front of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.\u00a0 It is traditionally the site where Jesus was crucified and buried.\u00a0 Most evangelicals reject this and believe he was crucified outside the city and buried in the garden tomb (also outside the city). Any example of “graffiti” (etchings in stones) from the Byzantine era inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.\u00a0 People have been writing on walls for centuries! The Temple Mount Institute has been preparing for the rebuilding of a third Jewish temple on the Temple mount by preparing all of the temple vessels, instruments, garments, etc for use in that temple.\u00a0 I”ve been following their progress for years.\u00a0 Their visitor center has all of the items on display. Unfortunately, no photography inside the exhibit is permitted.\u00a0 However, I snapped this photo of a model of the 2nd Temple before that announcement came over the speakers. There is a large museum with exhibits and display here, including this timeline of history. Here’s a wide shot of the southwest corner of the Temple Mount. These steps are the southern approach to the Temple Mount (now blocked).\u00a0 The gate in this wall is the “Hulda” gate.\u00a0 It is the gate most often used by the poor.\u00a0 The lowest steps here are first century and were certainly used by Jesus and His disciples when they visited the temple. Closeup view of 1st century steps to the Temple Mount This Mikvah (ritual bath) is located just before the gates.\u00a0 Anyone entering the Temple courts would have to purify themselves before proceeding. Here you can see (jutting out from the wall) the remains of Robinson’s Arch.\u00a0 It originally stretched to a building on the left and provided access to the temple mount.\u00a0 When the arch collapsed, it broke the paving stones below and created a hole that you can see today. This is the location of the “other” side of Robinson’s arch This site, which provides access to Hezekiah’s tunnel was only excavated 8-9 years ago.\u00a0 Many scholars believe that it is the ruins of the King David’s palace that was built by for him by the King of Tyre. In the foreground is a “toilet”.\u00a0 Part of the evidence for this being David’s palace is that carbon 14 dating of the “contents” in this toilet date to the 10th century BCE (the era of King David) This model shows what the houses constructed adjacent to the palace would have looked like. There are actually two tunnels that were excavated to bring water into the city during a time of siege.\u00a0 The earlier tunnel is Caananite.\u00a0 It is much shorter, (250 feet), not as difficult to navigate, and dry.\u00a0 It’s dry because it is too high to provide water to the city when the water level is so low.\u00a0 In other words, it’s useless<\/p>\n The second tunnel was constructed during the reign of King Hezekiah.\u00a0 Workers started from both ends (at the pool of Siloam outside the city and inside the city walls).\u00a0 The total distance covered was 1,750 feet.\u00a0 Even with not modern equipment, the two teams met in the middle.\u00a0 The tunnel is very narrow and (right now) is filled with water above your knees.<\/p>\n Below were are entering “Warren’s Shaft”.\u00a0 At the base you can either either the “dry” tunnel or the “wet” tunnel and proceed to the Pool of Siloam. Here we are moving down the “dry” tunnel You can see that it gets a bit narrow in spots. And here’s evidence that I didn’t wimp out! Only a small portion of the Pool of Siloam has been excavated.\u00a0 Much of the property is owned by the Greek Orthodox church which refuses to permit any additional excavations. At the Pool of Siloam you can see the beginning of a 1st century (Herodian) street that runs all the way from this point to the southern steps of the temple mount.\u00a0 That’s quite a distance.\u00a0 It’s not currently open. Jerusalem View of the Temple Mount (with the Dome of the Rock) from the top of the Mount of Olives. The Dome of the Rock The Al-Aqsa mosque (on the south end of the Temple Mount) The Golden Gate (east … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nDominus Flevit Church<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\nGarden of Gethsemane<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\nThe Old City of Jerusalem<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nThe Pool of Bethesda<\/h2>\n
<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nVia Delorosa (The Way of the Cross)<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nThe church of the Holy Sepulcher<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/a><\/p>\nThe Temple Mount Institute<\/h2>\n
<\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nThe Southwestern section of the Temple Mount<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nPalace of David<\/h2>\n
<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nHezekiah’s Tunnel<\/h2>\n
<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nPool of Siloam<\/h2>\n
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