City of David
We begin the tour at the top of the City of David, the place where Jerusalem first began thousands of years ago. From here we look out over the ancient landscape and explore the origins of the city. We visit the excavations beneath the visitor center and learn about the early stages of Jerusalem’s development before continuing through an underground passage that leads toward the excavations of the Givati Parking Lot.
Givati Parking Lot Excavations
The Givati Parking Lot is the largest active excavation area in Jerusalem. As the site is still under excavation, we observe it from above and learn about some of the most recent discoveries uncovered in this area. From here we continue through a mysterious underground canal (dry), which leads us directly toward the archaeological garden near the Old City walls.
The Archaeological Garden
At the Archaeological Garden we explore remains from several important historical periods. The site reveals layers from the grandeur of the Second Temple period, the Byzantine era, and the early Islamic period. Inside the museum we see coins, stamps, tools, and other artifacts discovered during the excavations, offering insight into daily life in ancient Jerusalem.
Western Wall Tunnels
We continue to the Western Wall Tunnels, where extensive excavations carried out by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation have revealed new sections of ancient Jerusalem. At the renovated site we see remains such as a Roman theater structure, a nymphaeum, and other architectural discoveries uncovered near the Western Wall. The visit brings us close to the area of the ancient Temple complex.
Old City Excavations
From there we ascend into the Old City for a walking tour of approximately an hour and a half. Along the way we visit several archaeological sites including the remains of a Crusader-era German church, a section of the wall attributed to the time of King Hezekiah, the Byzantine Cardo—the city’s main street—and examples of Mamluk architecture, revealing the many historical layers that shaped Jerusalem.
