The Citadel (Tower of David), Jerusalem (must see)

The Citadel adjacent to the Jaffa Gate has been carefully excavated, with each period of its development clearly delineated. Exploring the site, which offers free guided tours in English from Sunday to Friday at 11 AM, may take a couple of hours, particularly if you choose to delve into the museum inside, which narrates the story of Jerusalem and incorporates the archaeological site.

Positioned on the western hill of the Old City, the Citadel has been fortified by rulers of Jerusalem since the 2nd century BC, initially located at the city's northwestern corner and highest point. Herod the Great reinforced the original Hasmonean walls by adding three new towers, one of which, the Phasael, remains standing today. During the Byzantine period, the tower and the Citadel were erroneously identified as the Tower of David, as the Byzantines mistook the hill for Mount Zion, believed to be the site of King David's Palace.

Throughout history, the Citadel underwent various transformations under Muslim and Crusader rule, culminating in its present shape by 1310 under the Mamluk sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad. Suleiman the Magnificent later constructed a square with a monumental gateway in the east, while the prominent minaret, added between 1635 and 1655, became a landmark of Jerusalem.

From the Phasael Tower in the in the Citadel's northeast corner, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the excavations inside, the Old City outside, and the surrounding landscape to the south and west. Along the ascent, a terrace provides informative plaques identifying the different periods of the remains visible, including part of the Hasmonean city wall, a Roman cistern, and the ramparts of the Umayyad Citadel, which resisted the Crusaders in 1099.

Tip:
A spectacular 45-minute sound-and-light show takes place here every night, but make sure to book early, as it tends to sell out quickly.