Massada Israel

Massada - A visit well worth the time spent

If you find yourself on tour in Israel- weighing your opportunities to visit destinations like Massada Israel and Jericho - it never hurts to follow the advice of those who will drive you there.

Many guides will suggest that you climb Massada Israel before dawn. It is well known that the Israeli army trains its forces by having them climb Massada Israel in such a fashion.

Massada Israel

Whether that is interesting to you or not, doing the climb before dawn positions you most way up the slope for one of the most incredible sunrises you will ever experience.

Similarly, at the top, checking out the ruins of Herod's palace before walking over to the back side, it is easy to see the level of care placed into the citadel by each generation or culture that owned it.

The story of Massada Israel is a poignant one. Escaping from Roman tyranny, a group of Jewish rebels settled on Massada Israeland continued to fight by denying the Romans any sort of foothold on the historic monument.

The Romans devised a ramp that took two years to build and stretched from the desert floor, all the way to the top of the citadel. It was along this ramp that they sent their legions for the final assault against the Jewish rebels. When they broke through, they found every Jewish person, man, woman, and child, dead from a mass suicide attempt. The Jews had been so certain that they would be enslaved again, they had all committed suicide.

After the Romans took over again, King Herod built a palace there and then the Byzantines built a church there. The citadel then lapsed into disuse until it was discovered and restored to its rightful place as a hub from antiquity.

From Masada, it is only 10 minutes to the Dead Sea and Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found is less than a half hour drive.