Although I know Israel and the Jerusalem area quite well, there’s always been this one spot that was on my TODO list and I didn’t get a chance to visit – King Herod’s tomb, the Herodion. I’ve heard so much about it, with the remarkable story of the tragic fall of the person who found it after decades of excavations all over Israel, weeks before the site opened. I previously attended the launch event at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and saw all the remarkable finds that were on that site. It’s once in a life-time kind of archeological discovery.
The main reason why this might not be on the typical tourist path when visiting Israel is that the Herodion is about 30 minutes south from Jerusalem into the Palestinian Territories, so access is a bit challenging.
But, I finally made it, and it was worth it. When I visited it was completely empty, no one around, and I kept thinking that it’s outrageous that a site of this magnitude isn’t better appreciated. But, that’s Israel for you, remarkable history, well preserved, yet very few tourists.
There are good videos and explanation of the site and how this turned from an amphitheater retreat to a royal burial ground. Every area of the site offers a story.
Strongly recommend a visit if you’re in the Jerusalem area.
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