City of David

About City of David

City of David, ancient Jerusalem established by King David, sits on a narrow ridge running south from the Temple Mount. The site has a good defensive position as it is surrounded by the Tyropoeon Valley to its west, by the Hinnom Valley to the south, and the Kidron Valley on the east.

Archaeological Site

The remains at the archaeological site include the Millo (also known as the Stepped Stone Structure), the rampart built by the Jebusites. The Millo consists of the terraces and retaining walls  that supported the structures above.

Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Gihon Spring and Pool of Siloam

The Hezekiah’s Tunnel, built by the orders of King Hezekiah, is carved out to bring water from the Gihon Spring in the Kidron Valley outside the city walls into the Pool of Siloam within the walls of the City of David. King Solomon was anointed by the waters of the Gihon Spring (1 Kings 1:38-39).

Warren’s Shaft

The underground tunnel system, known as “Warren’s Shaft”, was discovered by British researcher Charles Warren in 1867. It consists of the stepped tunnel, the horizontal curved tunnel, the 14m vertical shaft and the feeding tunnel. This system was used to access Gihon Spring from inside the safety of the city walls.

Pilgrimage Road

The 2,000-year-old Pilgrimage Road is the stepped street connecting the Temple Mount from its southwestern corner to Jerusalem’s southern gates of the time via the Pool of Siloam. The Pilgrimage Road was travelled by Jewish pilgrims obeying the biblical commandment to travel to Jerusalem three times a year at Passover, Shavuot and Succoth.