The fortress of Masada in Israel - the last stronghold will not fall. Mossad fortress: history, modernity, interesting facts

Not far from the city of Arad. This unique monument architecture of the Hasmonean period is rightfully included in the number of attractions under the auspices of UNESCO.

History, description and photos of the Masada fortress in Israel

The fortress of Masada was founded Herod I in 25 BC. e. as a refuge for his family. It was built on the site of an older defensive structure Hasmonean period, which, by order of the king, was significantly expanded and improved. This fortification is surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs, and only a narrow “serpentine” path leads to it. In addition, the top of the plateau with the fortress located on it is surrounded by four-meter-thick walls, on which 37 towers towered.

The royal treasury was kept in Masada, as well as large stocks of food and weapons. A water supply system was equipped, palaces, Roman baths and a synagogue were built.

With the outbreak of the Jewish War in 66, the fortress was captured by Zealot zealots, who exterminated the Roman defenders, and in 67 the most radical representatives of this party settled here. Already in 70, after the Romans occupied Masada, Masada became the last refuge for thousands of rebellious Jews, including children and women. With such forces, the Zealots held the fortress for another three years, until in 73 the Romans managed to set fire to the internal fortifications with the help of throwing machines. After that, the surviving defenders killed women and children, and then each other, so as not to be captured by the enemy. The last of the Sicarii committed suicide.

Did you know? For a long time, the defense of Masada was considered a legend until archaeological evidence of these events was found.

The ruins of the Masada fortress were discovered in the middle of the 19th century, and thorough excavations began only in the 1960s. Since 1971, the Karl Brandl company from Switzerland has built a funicular that can take you up to this attraction.

The main attractions of the Masada fortress

Today, most of the buildings of the Masada fortress have partially survived:

• Herod's palace with surviving fragments of mosaics;
• rain water tanks, carved into the rocks;

• hot and cold baths;
• synagogue;
• armories and outbuildings.

The best preserved and of interest to tourists - "Hanging" And Western palaces.

Did you know? The most mysterious of the surviving buildings is the synagogue. Previously, scholars believed that the Jews did not have these places of worship until the fall of the Temple in 70 CE.

Entertainment

The main entertainment in the fortress of Masada - sound and light show. It is played at western entrance V national park , and with the help of special effects recreates last days V tragic history this ancient landmark and the heroic death of its defenders. Spectators take their places in a special amphitheater on the western part of the mountain, which can only be reached from the city of Arad. Simultaneously with light and music special effects, simultaneous translation is carried out in English, Spanish, French, German and Russian.

Other entertainment:

• restaurant;
• overnight stay for groups in the western part of the fortress;

• bar-cafe;
• the lowest cable car in the world.

How to get there

Masada Fortress is located on Highway 90, between the resort of Ein Bokek and the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. This attraction can be reached on foot. Serpentine path or funicular, whose station is located on the Dead Sea.

Important! To visit the Light and Sound Show, you need to drive up from the city of Arad (by car).

Excursion to the Masada fortress in Israel

In this video you will see an excursion to the Masada fortress. Enjoy watching!

Opening hours and cost of visiting

Prices

The cost of visiting the Masada fortress depends on the type of excursion you choose and the way to get to the attraction:

Ascent by funicular to the eastern side of the fortress

• individual excursion: for adults 61 NIS, for children 34 NIS;
• group tour: for adults 57 NIS, for children 33 NIS.

Hiking along the Serpentine Path (approximately 45-60 minutes)

• individual excursion: for adults 21 NIS, for children 12 NIS;
• group tour: for adults 19 NIS, for children 11 NIS.

Comprehensive visit to the park

• individual excursion: for adults 45 NIS, for children 22 NIS;
• group tour: for adults 41 NIS, for children 20 NIS.

Working mode

Important! Be careful on Fridays and the days of the main holidays, the park and the funicular close one hour earlier.

Fortress opening hours

• from April to September: opening at 8:00, closing at 17:00;
• from October to March: opening at 8:00, closing at 16:00.

Funicular opening hours

• Sunday-Thursday and Saturday: from 8:00 to 16:00;
• winter: from 8:00 to 15:00;
• Friday is a day off.

The most impressive view of the fortification opens just from the side, from where the winding highway No. 3199 leads to the fortress.

There is another opportunity to get to Masada - directly from the shores of the Dead Sea, from where you can climb up either on foot along the Serpentine Path, or on cable car served by a local kibbutz.

For about one and a half thousand years, the fortress was abandoned, so now no one can say for sure when the first fortifications appeared on the rocky ledge. Archaeologists say that, most likely, in the middle of the II century BC. Let's trust them.

Today, the only permanent inhabitants of the fortress are black starlings with orange feathers on their wings. Two years ago I told you .

The finest hour of Masada came at the end of the 1st century BC, when King Herod, who reigned on the Jewish throne, decided to arrange his winter residence here. Large-scale construction began in the fortress. Masada was called upon to protect the southern borders of the Kingdom of Judah from a possible attack from the south. Also, the fortress was supposed to become a reliable shelter for Herod, in the event of an uprising or invasion of enemy troops.

At the northern tip of the rock, a chic three-tiered palace was built for Herod: in the upper part there were royal chambers, the lower floors were intended for receptions of distinguished guests. The height difference between the upper and lower tiers was 35 meters.

The northern complex included, in addition to the palace, many office premises - warehouses, administrative buildings, baths. Here was the house of the commandant of the fortress.

In addition to the Northern three-tiered palace, there was another one - the Western one, which was considered the official royal residence.

Much of Masada has been rebuilt from ruins. The black line separates the ancient preserved walls from the restored ones.

On the territory of the fortification there were many different buildings - barracks, watchtowers, pools, baths and water collectors.

There was a synagogue near the western wall. Also in the fortress there was a pool for ritual ablutions and a house of study, intended for reading the Torah.

Soon after the death of Herod, Judea became part of the Roman Empire. A Roman garrison was stationed in the fortress.

In 66 AD, a Jewish uprising began. Masada was captured by the Sicarii, one of the most radical members of the anti-Roman opposition. It took the Romans 4 years to suppress the rebellion, in 70 AD the Roman legions victoriously entered Jerusalem. The surviving rebels fled to Masada.

In 73, the tenth Roman legion under the command of Flavius ​​Silva approached Masada. Eight thousand Roman soldiers stood in several camps around the fortress.

The outlines of their camps can still be seen in the surrounding area. The largest is the sixth camp. The command post of Flavius ​​Silva was located here. A blockade wall was built between the camps, surrounding Masada from all sides and cutting off its defenders from the outside world.

From the western side of the fortress, the construction of a siege rampart began, along which battering rams could be rolled up to the fortress walls. The shaft, despite the past two thousand years, has also survived to this day - it is clearly visible.

When the construction of the rampart was completed, a 30-meter siege tower with folding bridges was rolled along it. The fate of the fortress was decided. On the night before the assault, the leader of the Jewish rebels, Elazar ben Yair, delivered a fiery speech to the Jews and urged them to die as free people.

The text of this speech has come down to us thanks to the Jewish historian Josephus Flavius:

Long ago, brave men, we decided not to obey either the Romans or anyone else except only God, for He is the One true and just King over people. Now the hour has come, calling us to carry out our decision in practice. May we not shame ourselves, who did not want to endure slavery even before, when it did not threaten any dangers, let us not now voluntarily give ourselves up to slavery, and the most terrible torments that await us if we fall into the power of the Romans alive! For we are the first to rise up against them and we are the last to fight. I look at it as the grace of God that he gave us the opportunity to die beautiful death and free people, which is not destined for others who were unexpectedly captured. We know for certain that tomorrow we will be in the hands of our enemies; but we are free to choose a glorious death along with all who are dear to us. Enemies cannot prevent this, even if they really wanted to catch us alive. On the other hand, we cannot defeat them in combat either.

Let our wives die not disgraced, and our children - ignorant of slavery; after that, we will render a noble service to each other: then our preserved freedom will be our honorary shroud. But first we will destroy our treasures and the whole fortress by fire. I know well: the Romans will be disappointed when they do not take possession of us and see themselves deceived in the hopes of booty. Only food supplies we will leave intact, for this will testify after our death that it was not hunger that forced us, but that we, as we decided from the very beginning, preferred death to slavery.

Further events are also described by Josephus Flavius:

Then ten people were chosen by lot, who were to slaughter the rest. And each one sprawled on the ground near his dead wife and children, clasping their bodies with his arms, and willingly offered his throat to the ten who were performing a terrible duty. These people, without a shudder, ran their swords through everyone, one by one. Then they cast lots among themselves, so that the one whom fate would point to would kill nine comrades, and then lay hands on himself ... So they all died with confidence that they did not leave behind a single living soul over which they could abuse the Romans...

The next day, the Romans went up to Masada, and when they found piles of the dead, they did not rejoice at the sight of the dead enemies, but only froze in silence, struck by the greatness of their spirit and indestructible contempt for death.

Several centuries later, Byzantine hermits periodically settled on the territory of the fortress, and even for some time there was a Christian monastery. But with the advent of the Arab tribes in the 7th century, the fortress was finally forgotten.

There was a lot in the history of the Jewish people, but what was always lacking in it was heroic deeds. The same resistance in the ghetto during the Great Patriotic War, although it is described differently in different sources, the closer the author was to the events, the less he mentions heroism. And yet, there is something to talk about.

Masada is a legendary ancient fortress located almost on the coast Dead Sea. It is on the list of World Heritage Sites.

As soon as they don’t write the familiar word “Masada” from an unfamiliar language - massada, mossada, mossada ... And the Israeli foreign intelligence service is called mossad, mossad, massad, masad. The correct spelling and pronunciation is Masada, with an emphasis on the second "a". These names are consonant not by chance. The name of the fortress formed the basis of the name of the intelligence agency.

The fortress of Masada in Israel was built in 25 BC by King Herod the Great, who left a memory of himself as a cruel villain who, fearing to lose his throne, ordered to kill all the babies of Bethlehem in order to get rid of the newborn Jesus.

However, he left a mark in history as a builder king. He expanded the Temple Mount, reconstructed the Second Temple, built an Amphitheater in the suburbs of Jerusalem, where gladiatorial fights and horse races were held. In honor of the deceased brother, he built a mausoleum with a tower. He rebuilt Samaria, built the port of Caesar, a temple on the island of Rhodes, founded Herodium and Esebon (now it is the territory of Jordan).

Built on top of an impregnable rock in the waterless and desolate wilderness of Israel, the fortress of Masada served several purposes. She was a refuge for Herod and his family during the endless wars, it kept gold and weapons supplies.

The fortress walls of four meters thick, almost one and a half kilometers long, with numerous defensive towers, King Herod's palace, synagogue.

Masada had a well-organized system for collecting rainwater into huge storage tanks. food supplies and drinking water helped the defenders of the fortress to keep the defense for three years.

History of Masada

In the year 66 of the first century AD, the Middle East begins to unfold historical events which, without exaggeration, seriously influenced the course of human history. It is about the uprising of the Jews against the oppression of the Roman Empire. At this time, Masada was taken by the rebellious Zealots - irreconcilable and militant opponents of the Romans, who decided to fight them to the bitter end and destroyed the Roman garrison.

In 67 AD Sicarii settled in Masada - representatives of the radical wing of the Zealot movement. It was they who led the uprising against the Romans, which then resulted in a long Jewish war.

In the summer of 70 AD The Roman general Titus captures Holy Jerusalem, fiercely defended by the rebels, and destroys the First Jerusalem Temple. Soon the only stronghold of the rebels remains Masada. The defenders of the fortress barely numbered a thousand people, including women and children, but they managed to hold Masada for another three years.

Around the impregnable, at first glance, the fortress, the legionnaires set up eight military camps, the outlines of which have survived to this day. The military campaign to capture the last stronghold of the Jewish rebels was led by the legendary Tenth Legion of the Roman army.

Having studied Mount Masada from all sides, the legion commander Flavius ​​Silva gives the order to pour a 70-meter stone shaft (ramp) from the western, weaker side of the fortress. With the help of this shaft, the Romans planned to bring the ram as close as possible to the fortress wall.

About 9 thousand slaves built roads and carried earth for the construction of a siege rampart around the fortress and platforms for throwing machines and a battering ram.

When the Romans managed to set fire to the internal defensive wall, which was additionally built by the sicarii, consisting of wooden beams, the fate of Masada was decided.

One of the leaders of the uprising, Elazar Ben Yair, realizing that all those besieged in the fortress will be destroyed, and the survivors will be subjected to cruel torture and humiliation, during the night he convinces his comrades to prefer death rather than slavery.

“A long time ago, brave men, we decided not to obey either the Romans or anyone else, except only G-d, for He alone is the true and just King over people. I look at it as the mercy of God that he gave us the opportunity to die a beautiful death and free people, which is not destined for others who were unexpectedly captured.”

A lot was cast, ten executors of the last will were chosen, who stabbed all the defenders of the fortress, women and children, with swords, after which one of them, also chosen by lot, killed the rest and committed suicide.

In those days, 960 besieged Jewish rebels gave their lives for freedom in Masada. The Romans, ready for battle, were amazed at the terrible sight that appeared before them. Thus ended the Jewish War of 66-73. n. e.

The remains of the legendary fortress were searched for many centuries, but they were discovered only in 1842. Serious study of this place and excavations began only in the sixties of the twentieth century. Restoration work lasted for more than a dozen years, and only by the beginning of this century, scientists and restorers restored the fortress in the form in which it was under King Herod.

In the heart of the fortress, behind a glass door, a rabbi rewrites the Torah. He reacts quite favorably to attempts to photograph him.

One of the most striking finds is the synagogue. It was believed that the Jews had no need for synagogues as long as they had the Temple. Masada was reconstructed during the existence of the Second Temple, but the synagogue in it, nevertheless, was created.

For some time, the history of the defense of Masada was considered a legend, but a comparison of Jewish and Roman historical chronicles, including the book of Josephus Flavius ​​"The Jewish War", and archaeological finds on the territory of the fortress, including stone tablets with names used as lots by ten executors of the last will, convince of the opposite.

Today the fortress is a real ancient city with streets and all the infrastructure of that distant time. You can go up there in two ways: by funicular, which will take you to the top of the cliff in two or three minutes, or along the Snake Path - the same one used by the defenders of the fortress.

This path is not easy and takes about an hour. However, enthusiasts who venture on a difficult hike on foot will be truly rewarded: from every point of this winding path, amazing beautiful view to the Dead Sea and picturesque surroundings.

Grandiose concerts and festivals with the participation of world-famous stars are sometimes held at the foot of the mountain. The fortress is firmly among the ten must-see sights of the country.

For modern Israel, Masada is not only historical monument, but also a synonym for national courage, heroism and the desire for freedom, on which more than one generation of the country's inhabitants has been brought up.

Israel today is deservedly considered one of the amazing places in the world. And the point is not only that the miracles described in the Bible took place on this earth, but that now the most significant shrines for Christians are located here.

Landmarks of Israel

No wonder the Promised Land is one of the most popular and sought after destinations for tourists. Travelers from all countries come to Israel to get in touch with unique shrines, to plunge into ancient history and relax on the shores of the Red or Dead Sea.

The sights of this land are unique. In no other place is it possible to see such a number of sacred relics and places of worship. Most are concentrated in Jerusalem: this is the Mosque of the Dome of the Rock, the Church of St. Mary Magdalene and, of course, the Wailing Wall - one of the main attractions of the Promised Land. It is located on western slope Temple Mount sacred place- Part ancient wall built around the temple built by King Solomon. It received the name "Wailing Wall" in the sixteenth century. Today, here Jews and tourists pray or repent of sins, leaving notes addressed to the Almighty in the cracks.
Among the sights of Israel, one cannot fail to mention those that are located in Nazareth, sacred to all Christians, the city in which Christ spent his childhood and youth, and where the miracle of the Good News took place. A beautiful Catholic church in honor of the Annunciation rises above the grotto of the same name.

It is a mistake to think that in the land of Israel there are only places of worship and holy places. In this wonderful country There are also many interesting museums to visit. The Promised Land is considered not only the birthplace of three religions, but also the cradle of civilizations. Therefore, the historical value of this area is difficult to overestimate. Among the places that must be included in excursion tours for tourists, museums such as fine arts, Israel, memorial museum Holocaust, Bible countries and others.

The variegated colors of the city streets, the multinational hubbub and artifacts of all the major world religions are another reason that thousands of travelers are drawn to hot, but surprisingly interesting Israel. And the proximity of such natural monuments like the Judean Desert seaside resorts etc., only increases the army of tourists.

Israel, being a tiny piece of land surrounded by seas, deserts, forests and mountains, has become today modern country, through suffering and built by many generations of Jews. And if you list everything iconic places of this state, then one of them is definitely worth a visit. The top ten most popular tourist attractions include the Masada fortress in Israel. Excursions here are booked by every traveler.

How to get there

Very often among Russians this word causes some bewilderment. The reason is that many people associate the Masada fortress with the Israeli special service Mossad. However, there is no connection between them. The word "masada" is of Greek origin, in Hebrew it means "fortress". This ancient legendary building is listed as a World Heritage Site. It is located near the shore of the Dead Sea - only twenty kilometers away. The ancient fortress of Masada is located near the city of Arad, next to the Ein Gedi highway.

Story

It was built in the twenty-fifth year BC by Herod I the Great, whom history knows as a cruel villain who, out of fear of losing his throne, ordered the killing of all babies in Bethlehem. So he tried to get rid of his main enemy - the newborn Christ. However, Herod I the Great left another trace in history - as a builder king. It was he who reconstructed the Second Temple, and built the Amphitheater in the suburbs of Jerusalem, in which horse races and gladiator fights were subsequently organized.

Construction goals

In honor of his dead brother, King Herod also erected a mausoleum with a tower. He is also credited with rebuilding Samaria and the port of Caesar, amazing temple, located on the island of Rhodes, as well as the foundation of Herodium and Esevon in today's Jordanian territory.

Standing on top of an impregnable cliff, in a deserted desert area, the fortress of Masada had several tasks. Firstly, it was supposed to become a refuge where King Herod and his family could hide during the wars, and secondly, gold and weapons were stored here.

Description

The fortress of Masada rises above dead sea at 450 meters. It stands on the site of a Hasmonean period building, which, judging by the documents, dates back to the thirties before our era. And today here tourists are shown how skillfully the water supply system and baths, reminiscent of Roman baths, were arranged. The fortress of Masada was used mainly to store weapons and food here, but the king's associates knew that his inexhaustible reserves of gold were hidden here.

Inaccessibility

From all sides the building is surrounded by sheer cliffs, and only from the side of the sea a narrow “serpentine” path led up to it, which still exists today. On the western side, the ancient fortress of Masada is connected to the outside world by a path that was built on a mound laid by the Romans. The length of the journey is approximately thirty minutes.

The fortress of Masada is built on top of a cliff, which is crowned by an almost flat plateau with dimensions of approximately 300 x 600 meters. It was on this trapezoidal platform that the synagogue was located, royal palace, armories, auxiliary buildings, pits for collecting and subsequent storage of rainwater. A powerful fortress wall surrounds the plateau along the perimeter. Its total length is 1400 meters. The height of the fortress wall was about four meters. It has 37 towers.

archaeological finds

And today, in the fortress, tourists can see the palace in which King Herod and his family hid during the endless wars, the synagogue in which he prayed, and fragments of amazing mosaics. Water tanks carved into the rock mass, as well as hot and cold baths, amaze with their engineering. But the most striking find, judging by the opinions of archaeologists and historians, is the synagogue. It has long been assumed that the Jews did not need it, since they had a Temple. However, this finding surprised experts. The fact is that the fortress of Masada was reconstructed at a time when the Second, which was restored by Herod himself, still existed. Nevertheless, the synagogue existed in it. It must be said that similar find was found among the ruins ancient fortress Gamla. This is precisely what became the proof that among the ancient Jews the question of the existence of the synagogue was not connected with the Temple.

chronicle

In the seventieth year of our calendar, the Romans, having suppressed the uprising, were able to capture and destroy Jerusalem. However, for the final celebration of the victory, they still had to capture the fortress of Masada, in which the few remaining rebels managed to hide. It would seem that the latter is no longer in danger. After all, the Masada fortress, which was surrounded by sheer cliffs and a high fortress wall, was still considered impregnable. But against the rebels, who numbered about a thousand people, and along with children and women, there was an experienced and, most importantly, numerous army of the Romans. Therefore, the besiegers managed to surround the fortress. Having set up numerous military camps around it, the Romans began to build a huge embankment, which was supposed to become a road to the fortress wall.

So, the Romans laid siege to the fortress, set up several military camps around it and began to build a giant mound to the fortress wall. It was intended not only to advance the infantry, but also to transport throwing guns, as well as a ram. The fate of the fortress was sealed. The rebels had nowhere to wait for help. The appearance of the Roman army inside the fortress, the destruction of its walls by a ram was expected in the very next few hours. But the proud Jews, not wanting humiliation and slavery, including for their children, took the most desperate step. The defenders of the fortress, having decided not to leave any trophies to the Romans, burned all the property in the fortress. They left only food and water, thus showing the legionnaires that they did not have a shortage of provisions, nevertheless they chose to die, preferring to die free.

The most tragic page in history

After that, lots were cast: ten soldiers chosen as a result killed all those who were hiding in the fortress at that time, both their close comrades and women and children, including their own. Then they chose one who, after killing the other nine, committed suicide. This tragic page in the annals of the famous ancient fortress has been brought to our days by writing about it in a book called "The Jewish War". He, relying on the stories of two women and several children who managed to hide in a cave and subsequently tell about what happened, truthfully conveyed everything said by the witnesses. The reliability of his story was also confirmed by archaeological finds - several tablets on which the names of those who participated in this death lot were written. In addition, around the fortress, the ruins of camps set up by Roman legionaries have survived to this day.

Masada today

Today, you can climb to this attraction, which is included in almost any sightseeing tours in Israel, by the cable car built to it. The cost of the trip is about twenty dollars. Daredevils and those who like to overcome obstacles can reach the fortress both along the “serpentine path” from the Dead Sea, and along the earthen rampart built by the Romans during the famous siege. However, most tourists still choose the cable car.

Information for tourists

At the foot of the "snake" path there is parking for cars. It also operates information Center, where tourists can purchase tickets to enter the fortress, as well as to climb the funicular. There is also a museum in which artefacts discovered during archaeological excavations. IN good weather Fortress Masada turns into concert hall where music sounds and cultural events are held.

Once desert areas east coast mediterranean sea now turned into a flourishing and very developed state of Israel. Over the centuries, its inhabitants had to endure a lot in order to finally find their happiness and independence. And naturally in such a country there are many attractions, one way or another connected with historical events.

About one of these ancient sights with a tragic history will be discussed In this article. This is Masada Fortress. Like the famous one, the fortress is perfect place for shelter from almost all enemies.

Masada Fortress is located just 5 kilometers from southwest coast Dead Sea.

Masada fortress on the map

• Geographic coordinates 31.317556, 35.354050
• The distance from the capital of Israel, Jerusalem, is approximately 55 km in a straight line
• The nearest airport Bar Yehuda (in the original Bar Yehuda Airfield) is about 3 km to the east, it looks more like runway in the desert
• It is better to use Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, 90 km to the northwest

The name of the fortress was formed from the Hebrew "metzad", which simply means "fortress".
Masada Fortress is built on a flat top of a mountain 450 meters high, located in the Judean Desert. The almost flat surface of the mountain measuring 270 by 550 meters served as the basis for the construction of the fortress, and later the palace.

The first information about construction dates back to 37-31 BC. Then, during the reign of the Hasmonean dynasty, a fortress was built here. A little later, around 25 BC. the ruler Herod I, having found structures and buildings on the mountain suitable for storing provisions, weapons and drinking water, decided to complete, strengthen and equip a full-fledged fortress here.

This decision is quite justified, since King Herod I was, to put it mildly, not entirely loved by his subjects, and preferred to live in inaccessible and protected places. The fortress of Masada was the best suited for this. The height inaccessible to arrows and throwing guns, steep cliffs along the perimeter (from 100 to 300 meters) made Masada an impregnable citadel. It was possible to enter the fortress only from the side of the Dead Sea. To get to the top, it was necessary to overcome a narrow winding road, nicknamed the "snake path". Later, another path to the fortress from the western side appeared, but you will learn more about this below.

King Herod I was the same ruler who ordered to kill all the babies in Bethlehem, fearing the predicted birth of the Savior Jesus Christ. So you can imagine what a vile person he was. His name even later became a household name with a pronounced negative meaning. So he clearly had to fear for his life.
Despite the vile character of the king, let us give him his due and note his success in the construction of the fortress of Masada.

On the territory of the fortress were built unique systems water supply and water treatment. Rain water was carefully collected and accumulated in special tanks. To do this, channels were built from two canyons west of the Dead Sea, through which water flowed to 12 catchment systems. If necessary, water from the reservoirs to other places of the fortress was delivered by hand. Powerful walls 4 meters thick and about 5 meters high were built around the entire perimeter of the plateau. The total length of the fortress wall was approximately 1,400 meters.

Interesting wall arrangement. Rooms were equipped inside it (it’s good that the total 4-meter width was enough), and patrolling was carried out along the upper part. Towers were built every 40 meters. There were 37 in total.
The fortress also kept royal gold. Palaces, baths similar to Roman ones, synagogues were built for the king and his entourage. And here it is worth noting another feature. In those days, the Jews had a Temple, and there was no need to build synagogues, but they were built nonetheless. It turns out that in ancient times the Jews had temples and synagogues at the same time.

The tragic history of Masada

The most scary tale took place in the fortress in 73 AD.
In the 1st century A.D. the territory of modern Israel was under the rule of the Roman Empire, but not all local residents it was to my liking. In 66, the fortress was captured by the Zealots (followers of one of the political-religious Jewish currents and fighters for independence from Rome). In the year 70, the Roman Emperor crushed uprisings throughout the Jewish territory, except for the fortress of Masada. She held the line for three more years. The Roman legions tightly besieged the fortress from all sides, but failed to capture it.

Then the Romans decided to build (or rather fill) the road to the Jewish fortification. Over 9,000 slaves worked to create it. They brought and poured earth, built platforms for battering rams and battering rams. Thus, a second path to the summit appeared, along which now you can get to the fortress in half an hour.

The defenders of the fortress reinforced the walls from the inside with wooden structures assembled from the remains of palaces and other buildings. But the Romans managed to set fire to them, thereby predetermining the fate of Masada. The defeat of the Jews was inevitable.
At that time, 960 people remained in the fortress, including women and children. They all gathered together in front of their leader, Elazar bin Yair. He delivered a fiery speech in which he urged his fellow tribesmen to prefer death to humiliation and shameful slavery. With all the love for life and the instincts of self-preservation, the decision was made. 10 people were chosen by lot, who killed everyone, absolutely all the inhabitants, from young to old. Then, from this dozen, one was chosen who finished off the nine remaining people, set fire to the entire fortress and committed suicide. At the same time, the premises with provisions and water were left to the invaders as proof that the inhabitants took such a terrible step not at all because of the lack of food and water.

All this horror was learned a little later from several people who miraculously survived. These are two women and five children who managed to hide during the massacre and tell about it later.

Now the Masada Fort is one of the most famous and iconic sights of Israel. At the beginning of the way to the mountain, there is a parking lot and a tourist information center.

• The name of the fortress echoes the name of the powerful Israeli secret service Mossad, but nothing but a phonetic similarity in sound unites them.
• Despite the fact that the fortress rises 450 meters above the Dead Sea, its height above absolute level sea ​​is about 50 meters, since
• Almost all historical information about the fortress of Masada comes from the Jewish Roman historian of the first century Josephus Flavius
• IN modern history the fortress was found in 1862, but large-scale excavations began only a hundred years later in 1963-65
• For those tourists who do not want or cannot use the “serpentine path” or the Roman embankment, a cable car has been built since 1971
• The study of information in Jewish and Roman chronicles, and the found tablets with names, which, apparently, were used as a lot, prove the reality of those terrible events. But on the other hand, the remains of almost a thousand people were not found. That is, they are in the annals of Flavius, but modern science cannot prove their existence
• Suicide in Judaism is a grave sin, therefore, in this particular case, everything actually came down to one suicide of that very last defender of the fortress
• the fortress is registered world heritage UNESCO

Fortress Masada photo