Page 6 - Holyland Magazine - 2019 Edition

The Mosaic Project of the Cardo
A modest sign, concealed beneath the main
street of the Jewish Quarter, leads to an
impressive and magnificent private house
from the Second Temple period belonging
to the Katros family. Many artifacts that date
back to the tragic fall of the Quarter at the
hands of the Roman army were found in the
house, buried entirely under a large layer of
ash. The site offers an exciting presentation,
highlighting the various findings from the
excavations and fascinating information about
the last days of the Roman siege in 70 BC.
Herodian Quarter
In the heart of the Jewish Quarter, on the
western hill facing the ancient Temple Mount,
are houses that belonged to the priests and
nobility of Jerusalem. Beneath the modern,
residential housing of the Jewish Quarter, an
ancient suburb of affluent homes, that once
covered the western hill during the Second
Temple period, awaits you. A tour of this
impressive site will guide us through the
houses of Jerusalem’s nobility at the height
of the city’s glory.
The Broad Wall
In preparation for the revolt of Judah against
the Assyrians, King Hezekiah planned two
significant national projects. The central plan Wide streets paved with stone led to
was to clog the Gihon spring and divert its
stream westwards and southwards to the
Shiloam Pool. The second plan included
building a new wall around Jerusalem,
which grew tremendously as a result of the
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mass refugee immigration from the northern The Herodian Quarter
kingdom – Israel, which was destroyed by
Assyrian conquests. The architectural design of the city followed
that of the Roman city, Aelia Capitolina,
The prophet Isaiah admonished King established by the emperor Hadrian in the
Hezekiah about the repercussions of this 2nd century AD. In those days, the main
plan, causing the destruction of private urban center of Jerusalem consisted of two
homes in Jerusalem for the sake of the cardo streets that led from Damascus gate
new wall meant to protect the city. Thus southward. One led to the Temple Mount
the prophet proclaimed: “You will count the and the other led straight to Mount Zion in
houses in Jerusalem; you will tear down the South.
those houses in order to fortify the wall.”
The mosaic project of the cardo, made by
The remains of this wall were discovered the company for the reconstruction and
in the heart of the Jewish Quarter, and the development of the Jewish Quarter, includes
excavations carried out there confirmed a model of the Madaba map, the most
Isaiah’s proclamation. Beneath the wall ancient map of Israel known to the world.
are private homes from the days of King
Hezekiah, destroyed during the hasty Today, you can walk leisurely on these
construction of the wall. Today, in the heart of impressive streets that pass through the
the Jewish Quarter, every visitor is invited to heart of the Jewish Quarter and enjoy the
enjoy an authentic and spectacular remnant atmosphere of an ancient marketplace
of the legend that indicates the historic validity bustling in Jerusalem during the Byzantine
of the biblical story. and Roman era.
The Byzantine Cardo Street and
the Ancient Madaba Map
During the Byzantine era (324-628 AD),
Jerusalem was built into a magnificent city
surrounded by a wall, towers and gates.
churches located in the heart of the city.
The commercial center teemed with life, and
tourists arrived from all around the world to
witness, first hand, the places where Jesus
and his Apostles operated in the holy land.