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Masada

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daisy
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Editor Pick

Feeling Hot Hot Hot in Masada!

  • November 5, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by karly07 from Belfast, United Kingdom
Feeling Hot Hot Hot in Masada!

When we first looked at visiting Israel for our summer holiday, there appeared to be a lot of interest through various travel forums about masada, and even our guide book spent considerable time on it - so a trip to the Dead Sea would hardly have been complete without visiting this historic site, that is of such importance to Jewish history.

The site of Masada is part of the UNESCO World Heritage list and it isn't difficult to understand why, as you learn about its significance in Jewish history. Masada has been referred to as the 'last bastion of Jewish freedom fighters against the Romans'. It is a site of both tragedy and heroism for the Jews, and in fact, it is seen by many as a site of worldwide importance in 'humanity's continuous struggle for freedom from oppression'. Others of course, see it merely as the site of a mass Jewish suicide, as the final Jewish rebels took their own lives along with their families by jumping to their death from the cliff top site of Masada, so they would never have to submit to the Romans. It is difficult to visit Masada however, and not come away with an understanding of why the Jews were so determined not to give themselves over to the Romans in the end.

Masada itself was built by King Herod, and was built as a palatial fortress of the Romans. In fact, this site of Masada is renowned for housing the most complete ancient Roman siege system still visible today.

As you drive along the edge of the Dead Sea heading towards Jerusalem, you can see, in the distance the huge fortification of Masada. You then follow a short road to the main car park, where you can then walk to the visitor centre (the eastern entrance). You can enter by the Western entrance on the other site of Masada though this is less popular. If you arrive early enough you will no doubt see some hardy hikers trek up the snake path to the top of Masada. If you are planning to do this in the summer season, you need to set out early, as due to the intense summer heat, walkers are not allowed to begin climbing after midday. On this instance, whilst visiting in the summer heat, we thought it best to take the cable car up to the top of Masada, and just watch the hardy walkers below us.

At the entrance area, you purchase you ticket for the cable car and Masada. If you purchase a National Israel Parks pass for 90NIS covering the entrance fee to 6 of the listed sites, you can use this pass to gain admission to Masada. Once you have bought your ticket, you then proceed to a air conditioned room to await the cable car. There are only 2 cable cars operating, so you can end up waiting a little while, not so bad when you can enjoy the air conditioning.

Be warned, at the top of Masada, there is absolutely nowhere to hide from the desert heat, so it is vital to bring enough water with you for your visit as well as a decent sun hat for protection. There is a water tap at the of Masada, but firstly the water is only lukewarm, and secondly, neither my husband or I felt great a little while after taking it. We mixed it with our other water in our bottles.

How long you spend at Masada is probably dependent upon your capacity to endure the intense heat of the sun continually on your back. We found we could only endure it for a couple of hours and see the main sites before we had to come back to the air conditioning, but then we are fair skinned Westerners who are simply not used to that heat.

The cable car will bring you to near the top of Masada, and from there is a short walk on boardwalks to the actual site. You will receive a detailed map when you buy your ticket, but the main pace of interest to visitors is Herod's Northern Palace, where he created 3 terraces, all overlooking the beautiful Dead Sea. The palace was built by Herod to entertain important visitors, as well as giving Herod some quiet solitude. King Herod and his family lived on the upper terrace, and the lower two terraces were reserved for important events and functions. Getting to the observation points on the three terraces is quite straightforward, as there are man made structures along the cliff wall taking you to each terrace. Some of the steps are quite steep in places and some older people may have trouble getting down to the 2 lower terraces. The views from all three of these terraces is very impressive.

Another popular spot to visit at Masada is the large bathhouse, where you can get to grips with this important part of Roman life. Nearby is the spot of the 'lots'. This is the site where hundreds of pieces of pottery with inscriptions were found of those Jews who fought in this last rebellion against the Romans. Many of the names on the inscriptions found match those that Josephus Flavius wrote about, as he recorded this important time in Jewish history.

From here, you can walk around the Western Palace. Along route you will can stop at the synagogue, with retains many of its original characteristics. Although it was originally used as a stable by Herod, it was converted into a synagogue by the Jews during this revolt against the Romans. You can then walk on the Western Palace, and from here you can still see the ramp that the Romans built in order to reach Masada and overthrow the Jews.

Unfortunately due to the intense heat, we decided we could not walk any further, and headed back to the cable car. However if you go at a slightly cooler time of the year, or very early in the morning or late in the evening, you can take the time to walk down to the southernmost point of Masada, whereyou can see another small palace as well as the Southern water cistern.

We very much enjoyed our trip to Masada, and would have loved to have more time to have seen the entire site. however we just could not endure the summer heat any longer. As I said earlier, it is near impossible to escape from the heat on the top of this cliff, you feel like you are directly under the sun, and cannot get away from its intense rays. The site if obviously of huge importance to the Jews, so much so that recruits of the Israeli army used to have to visit Masada, and take an oath that it would not fall again. It is a feat of human architecture and engineering that such a site has been built on this high cliff - long before the days of cranes. The splendour of King Herod's palace if magnificent, and one can only imagine what it would have looked like in all its true glory. Seeing the Roman ramp still in tact was another highlight, and again it is a wonderous achievement that they built such a ramp with such primitive equipment in comparison to what we have today.

All in all, a great place to visit whilst at the Dead Sea, and a very educational site of interest not just to Jews but for everyone!
Editor Pick

Massada

  • February 6, 2003
  • Rated 4 of 5 by angelsil from Clifton, New Jersey
Massada

Masada is one of the most important historical sites for Jews in Israel. It is the place where the Macabees stood up to the Romans in 70 AD. A small group of Jewish zealots held out against the Roman army during a brutal siege. In the end, the Romans claimed Masada after the Jewish population committed suicide.

Getting to Masada is easy - tour buses run frequently from Jerusalem. If you have a car, you will see signs on 40 for the turn off near Zohar. There is a visitor''s center at the base of the mountain which features exhibits of archaeological discoveries, a gift shop, and snack bar, and shows a short movie. From here you can either take the cable car (60NIS both ways) or take the snake path (20NIS).

At the top of the mountain, there are numerous signs giving details of the major buildings, as well as a path to follow. A brochure will be provided (unless you climb in the dark) to allow you to follow along. There are also restroom facilities, a souvenir shop, and a pay phone on top of the mountain.

Allocate at least an hour and a half on top of the mountain to take in the view and all the sites. Bring plenty of water, especially in summer when it gets unbearably hot. There are a certain amount of stairs necessary to see all of Masada, even if you take the cable car. Also be aware that the cable cars only run once an hour during the slow season.

From journal Jerusalem Dreams

Editor Pick

Masada

  • August 14, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Amanda from London, United Kingdom
On the banks of the Dead sea, less than two hours from Jerusalem, stands a proud flat-topped mountain dripping with history and ideological zeal. As you look up from ground level, you can see just a mountain, but a mountain oozing with bloody history. It draws you closer and the tough climb to the top feels like a predestined pilgrimage. Or for those with a more technological approach to such things, there is a cable car which takes you almost to the top. Once there you realize why you made the effort to reach the top; for all around you, on this windswept, sun-scorched rock in the desert, is the stage of the last act of the Jewish War against the Romans. The Fortress was first built by Jonathan the Macabee in 150 BC, and then fortified by King Herod in 43 BC, as a refuge from his many enemies. Its most historical moment, however, came in 70AD when the Romans had regained control of all of Judea and destroyed the Second Temple. This was the last outpost of the Jewish resistance, where a band of men and women prepared to fight at all costs against the might of the Roman Empire.

From the top of Masada, one can see the remains of the Roman encampments which besieged the fortress for three years. Still the Jews survived on the bare mountain top. The Romans, unable to starve out the Jews, built a huge earth-ramp which still stands on the east side of Masada. The Jews, aware of the imminent attack by the Roman legions made their last act of defiance. The community committed mass suicide; only two women and five children lived to tell the story. When the Romans arrived the following day 960 bodies haunted the fortress.

Many of the remains on Masada are well preserved, giving a good sense of what it must have been like as a Jewish fortress surrounded by Romans. The beautiful views of the desert below and buffeting sand-laden wind add to the sense of isolation.

Masada is monument to courage and defiance, in Israel and elsewhere. It will be no surprise then that it is here, on this remote mountain top, that every Israeli army conscript formally joins the Israeli army.

From journal Jerusalem, the golden city

Editor Pick

Masada

  • June 6, 2000
  • Rated 4 of 5 by daisy from new york, New York
Masada

Utterly fascinating. You can still see the frescos and plaster on the walls and floors of this ancient city where the people committed suicide rather than be taken captive by the Romans. The mesa also offers stunning views, both of the Dead Sea and Jordan River just to the east and of the Roman military positions surrounding the mountain's base.

From journal Israel in Five Days

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