Herod’s Palace and the Kishle

South of the Tower of David Citadel sits the Kishle, a former military compound and prison, where members of Jewish resistance movements were incarcerated during the British Mandate. After extensive archaeological excavations carried out in 1999 on the site by the Israel Antiquities Authority, the city’s secrets from the First Temple Period until today were revealed, and today the Kishle is part of the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum.

What is the story hiding behind the map etched on the walls of the Kishle during the British Mandate? Where did the city’s Jewish minority live during the Crusader Period? What is the connection between King Herod’s palace and the Jewish resistance fighters during the British Mandate?

We invite you to come on an exciting journey to the city’s past, learning about the major events and stories that shaped the face of history. The tour includes the remains of King Herod’s palace, dying vats from the days of the Ramban, and walls decorated with graffiti drawn by the imprisoned members of the Jewish resistance movement – 3,000 years of history in one building.

Photo credit: Oded Antman