2,000-Year-Old Street in Jerusalem Revealed to Public
A newly opened first-century pilgrimage road offers a direct glimpse into Jerusalem’s Second Temple past.
JERUSALEM — A 2,000-year-old Pilgrimage Road leading to the Temple Mount has opened to the public for the first time after nearly two decades of excavation. The ancient street, uncovered by the Israel Antiquities Authority, once carried millions of Jewish pilgrims during the Second Temple period.
Believed to have been constructed in the early first century AD under Herod the Great or Pontius Pilate, the .35-mile route runs from the Siloam Pool in Silwan to the Jerusalem Archaeological Garden near the Western Wall. Large sections remain underground, preserved beneath modern infrastructure.
Archaeologists uncovered original Herodian paving stones, shop remains, a ritual bath, and a ceremonial podium. The road was sealed following the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, aiding its preservation. Visitors may now access the site through the City of David archaeological park.
Previously, the UOJ reported that the Patriarch of Jerusalem presided at the Nativity Eve liturgy in Bethlehem.
