Description of the attraction
The Tower of David is part of an ancient citadel located at the Jaffa Gate, in the west of the Old City. Now it houses the Museum of the History of Jerusalem.
The tower has a very indirect relationship to the biblical king David, the founder of ancient Israel (X century BC) - the fortress at the highest point of the city was erected by the kings of the Hasmonean dynasty only in the II century BC. NS. After the Hasmoneans, King Herod the Great came to power, who in 37 - 34 years BC. NS. added three powerful towers to the citadel. He named them by the names of close people: "Fasail" - in honor of his brother-suicide, "Miriam" - in memory of his second wife, whom he himself killed, and "Hippicus" - in honor of one of his friends. Countless sieges and destruction of subsequent eras survived only the tallest tower, "Phasail" - its lower part and is called today the Tower of David.
This name apparently refers to the times of Byzantium: Eastern Christians believed that it was on the Western Hill, 773 meters high, that the palace of King David was once located. The Arabs, having conquered Jerusalem in 638, fortified the citadel so that the crusaders were unable to take it by attack in 1099. However, it was taken in 1187 by the great warrior Saladin. It was destroyed and rebuilt in the XIII century by the Mamluks, for four hundred years the Ottoman Turks were garrisoned here. They also added a minaret to the tower, which still towers over the city.
In World War I, when British troops occupied Jerusalem, it was at the entrance to the Tower of David that the commander of the British, General Allenby, solemnly accepted the surrender. The Museum of Palestinian Folklore was located here between the World Wars. After the Arab-Israeli war of 1948-1949, the fortress temporarily regained its military role: the Jordanian Arab Legion was based there. Only after Israel's victory in the 1967 Six Day War did the citadel become a peaceful object: since 1989, it has been home to the Museum of the History of Jerusalem.
The exposition of the museum allows you to imagine how Jerusalem grew and developed over the course of forty centuries. This process is clearly illustrated by excellent three-dimensional models of the city, videos and holograms. Part of the exposition is the museum's courtyard - an archaeological park with ruins up to 2700 years old. Visitors have the opportunity to climb the ramparts from which they can view the whole of Jerusalem, including the Old City.
The Tower of David is a traditional venue for city festivals, folk craft fairs, and concerts. An impressive laser show is regularly held here: staged episodes from the centuries-old history of Jerusalem are projected onto the walls of the citadel, accompanied by authentic music. The show is organized after sunset, and tourists are advised to take warm sweaters with them - it can get cold in Jerusalem at night.
