Beneath the Old City of Jerusalem Lies a Huge
Cave.
Does It Date Back To King Solomon or King Zedekiah?
Five men in "Solomon's Quarry," circa 1910. Another picture of the group can be found here |
Beneath the Old City of Jerusalem, not far from the
Damascus Gate, is the entrance to an enormous cavern, one of the largest
man-made caves in Israel. The American Colony photographers visited the cavern
100 years ago.
From the cave's entrance to the end is 300 meters; its width is 100 meters, and its height in some parts is 15 meters tall. The total size is estimated to be five acres.
And the cavern, which was used to quarry
limestone blocks, dates back 3,000 years.
According to legend, King Solomon may have taken blocks from the cave to build the First Temple (circa 950 BCE). While archaeologists are sceptical, there is little doubt that King Herod (circa 50 BCE) quarried stone for building his massive expansion of the Second Temple, including what we call today the Western Wall.
Another legend claims that King Zedekiah of Judah (circa 586 BCE) fled from the Babylonian conquerors through the cave. Talmudic literature dating back to the 2nd - 3rd century CE refers to Zedekiah's Cave.
The quarry was used throughout the Middle Ages, but it was sealed in the 16th century by Suleiman the Magnificent to prevent enemy infiltration under the Old City.
Open & Shut, Open & Shut...
The cave remained sealed and undiscovered until 1854 when, according to another legend, missionary Dr. J. T. Barclay was walking his dog outside of Damascus Gate. The dog ran down a hole that had been opened after heavy rains. Barclay followed him in and discovered the massive cavern.
In the 1880s a German cult took over the cave
until they were removed by Turkish authorities. In 1893 the Turks sealed the
entrance once again.
From the cave's entrance to the end is 300 meters; its width is 100 meters, and its height in some parts is 15 meters tall. The total size is estimated to be five acres.
Solomon's Quarry tourists (circa 1910) |
According to legend, King Solomon may have taken blocks from the cave to build the First Temple (circa 950 BCE). While archaeologists are sceptical, there is little doubt that King Herod (circa 50 BCE) quarried stone for building his massive expansion of the Second Temple, including what we call today the Western Wall.
"Hanging
pillar" in Solomon's Quarry (circa 1910) |
Another legend claims that King Zedekiah of Judah (circa 586 BCE) fled from the Babylonian conquerors through the cave. Talmudic literature dating back to the 2nd - 3rd century CE refers to Zedekiah's Cave.
The quarry was used throughout the Middle Ages, but it was sealed in the 16th century by Suleiman the Magnificent to prevent enemy infiltration under the Old City.
Open & Shut, Open & Shut...
The cave remained sealed and undiscovered until 1854 when, according to another legend, missionary Dr. J. T. Barclay was walking his dog outside of Damascus Gate. The dog ran down a hole that had been opened after heavy rains. Barclay followed him in and discovered the massive cavern.
Entrance to Solomon's Quarry (circa 1900) |
To
secure stones for a clock tower the Turks were building at Jaffa Gate they
reopened the quarry in 1907. Presumably, the American Colony photos are from
that period because the cave was sealed again in 1914 during World War I.
Ad: "Entrance to Zedekiah's Cave From now residents of Jerusalem will pay 3 grush per person. Groups of 10 pay 25 ..." |
An
advertisement announcing tours and admission rates to the Cave appeared in a
Hebrew paper Hatzvi during this period, in April 1909.
The Quarry as a bomb shelter (1940s) |
In 1967, after the reunification of Jerusalem, Israel reopened the cavern.
Read this excellent description of the cave written by Thomas Friedman when he was serving as The New York Times' Jerusalem bureau chief in 1985.
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Thanks for sharing. Blessings on your head from the Lord Jesus, Yeshua HaMashiach.
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People
Charlotte, NC USA