CITY OF DAVID AND UNDERGROUND JERUSALEM TOUR

The City of David and Underground Jerusalem Tour

The City of David and Underground Jerusalem tour offers a unique journey beyond the surface of ancient Jerusalem. While many visitors come to see the beauty and religious significance of this holy city, the City of David's tour invites you to delve deep into its rich 3000-year history. Here, centuries unfold beneath your feet, revealing hidden treasures, ancient tunnels, ancient ruins, a water system, and stories that have shaped the city of Jerusalem and the world.

Join me on this unforgettable adventure of the holy city of Jerusalem following King David's heritage to uncover the mysteries of the past and touch the history that our kings and prophets left.

City of David Tour Overview

I want to invite you to take the City of David and the Underground Jerusalem tour. During our walking tour, we will visit two archeological parks - "Davidson Center" and "The City of David".Built over the ancient city of Ievus, we will see the foundation of the Western Wall, walk through intricate Water tunnels, and witness the pool of Siloam.

The City of David and Underground Jerusalem tour, tailored by me, goes beyond standard encyclopedic descriptions filled with dates and events. Instead, it invites you to dive into captivating legends, mystical beliefs, and secrets of this holy city, where nearly every ancient civilization has left its mark, from the Babylonians and Egyptians to the Romans and Greeks.

To truly understand Jerusalem, it's not enough to just stroll through its ancient streets and visit its architectural wonders, as outlined in biblical narratives. By venturing into the underground city, we can step away from the present and the hustle and bustle of the modern world. This experience allows you to connect with the essence of the holy land on a deeper emotional level.

 What to See Inside the City of David?

The "City of David" was built by King David during the first temple period almost 3000 years ago, this is the oldest Archaeological site that you can visit from " Original Jerusalem ".

For years, Excavations of archaeologists discovered the ancient Jebusian city, which later became the heart of ancient Jerusalem. The great King David captured a hill and established his capital called the city of David on the top of the hill. 

The city's location has natural defenses, from both sides, there are two valleys, the Kidron, and the Tyropeon.

The Palace of King David was built on the top and was probably found during the late excavations in the city of David, today we can see the remains of this magnificent building over 3000 years ago.

Next to the Palace, there is the "G" section, every part of the old city of David has a different name, this part was the administration of the city and also a part where the rich used to live. Here, we found amazing pieces from the past Such as an ancient toilet and a four-room house, A typical structure from the Israelite period.

 
Jerusalem is not located on the coast or near a water source, that’s why water was always the biggest issue and the most important thing. The spring of Gihon was fortified with massive guarding towers ending its tunnel system so the water source would be hidden from the enemies.

Today we have two options to discover those amazing underground ancient shafts, the first option is to walk in the dry tunnel, and the second option is to walk in the wet tunnel with running water, it is a great option for the summer days and a great activity for kids. Today we have two options to discover those amazing underground tunnels, the first option is to walk in the dry tunnel, and the second option is to walk in the wet tunnel with running water, it is a great option for the summer and especially for kids, as your private tour guide in Israel, I will be walking with you hand by hand on this amazing private guided tour in Israel to the city of David and Underground Jerusalem.
 
An amazing Street was found in "Ir David", preserved, and restored lately, called Herodian Street(Dereh Olei Haregel). This is the original street that was used by Jewish pilgrims visiting Jerusalem three times a year during the holidays, a very Long Street and today it allows us to walk up and reach the Davidson Center and the Old City.

Hezekiah's Tunnel

Hezekiah's Tunnel, more commonly Siloam Tunnel, is the remarkable ancient waterway chiseled beneath the City of David in Jerusalem more than 2,700 years ago. Constructed by King Hezekiah to protect Jerusalem's water supply against Assyrian invaders, the tunnel was used to bring water from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam during sieges. That stretch of about 533 meters through solid rock is also the testimony of ancient engineering, which enables visitors literally to wade through history as they walk along the waters that brought life to ancient Jerusalem.

City of David Observation Point

To learn the history of Jerusalem even deeper, we will ascend to One of the best lookouts inside the national park! From here we will see the Mount of Olives, the Church of all Nations, the Dome of the Rock, the Garden of Gethsemane, the ancient Jewish burial tomb of the sons of Hezir, the Tomb of Absalom, Siloam Village, and much more. 

Davidson Center

• The archaeological park "Davidson Center" is located at the foot of the Temple Mount and will reveal the history of the creation and destruction of the Second Temple period, the traces and foundation of which have been preserved till our day. Here, massive stones remaining from the second temple destruction, the paved pilgrimage street, and a museum are available to touch and visit.

• Located in the old city inside the Davidson Center, the Wailing Wall(Kotel) is another reminder of the First and Second Temple and the Jewish hope for the construction of the Third Temple. Here we will be able to experience the power and sanctity of a place that has been plentiful for centuries, visit tunnels under the Wailing Wall, plunge into the history of three and a half thousand years ago, and of course placing a note between the stones of the Western Wall.

• Southern Wall Excavations and Robinson's Arch - The Davidson Center houses the Southern Wall Archaeological Park, enabling one to view Robinson's Arch—a huge stone arch that supported a magnificent staircase that went up to the Temple Mount. During the time of the Second Temple, this place was one of the most teeming with people coming for and from pilgrimage, which represented impressive architectural feats of that time. These visible remains allow the visitor to envision what the entire Temple Mount complex was like 2,000 years ago.

• Pilgrimage Road - The Pilgrimage Road, as it has come to be called, is a recently discovered major route that Jewish pilgrims would take to ascend to the Temple Mount. Lined with shops and mikvahs (ritual baths), this paved street gives evidence of the vast numbers of people who traveled to Jerusalem for major religious festivals.

• Huldah's Gates and Ritual Purity - The Hulda Gates constituted the main Temple Mount entrance gates from the south. Named for the biblical prophetess Hulda, these gates provided points of entry for worshippers ascending to the Temple. Next to these gates, the remains of mikvahs—ritual baths—indicate that ritual purity was an important precursor to entering the sacred space of the Temple. This was a key feature of Jewish worship during the Second Temple period.

• The Digital and Interactive Exhibits - The Davidson Center uses digital technology to recreate history through interactive exhibits quite appealing to the modern-day visitor. Exhibitions include a virtual restoration of the Temple Mount from the Second Temple period, in which visitors get to take a virtual walk on the scale of the Temple, architecture, and activities going on within it. What happens here is the contrast of ancient and modern elements combined into a multi-sensual experience of the site.

   

Western Wall Tunnels

Biblical City of David and Underground Jerusalem Walking Day Tour Itinerary

To maximize the tour experience and add history and archeology, we will walk via the Jewish quarter, then exit outside the walls of the old city through the Dung gate before we step outside the city walls of Jerusalem.

The tour includes a 3-hour visit inside the National Park, Davidson Center, and Entrance tickets, but I recommend combining this experience with other parts of Jerusalem's old city.

Walk in the footsteps of the kings and connect to the amazing past of Jerusalem, absolutely one of the best activities in Jerusalem