Israel/Palestine (881 m, 940 m) – Biblical Hills Surrounding Shechem Mount Zion and Mount Ebal are two hills around which much of ancient Israel’s history revolved. Once sacred to all the descendants of Abraham, Gerezim and Ebal became the center of religious life for the Northern Kingdom after the division, and remained sacred to the group which later became known as the … [Read more...]
SIDNA ALI MOSQUE (MASJID SIDNA ALI)
Jaffa, Palestine The Masjid Sidna Ali is one of the oldest surviving mosques in Palestine. Built on the site of a bloody battle between the armies of Saladin and Christian Crusaders, it is one of the last remaining 13th century Mamluk constructions in the region. It is also the location of the tomb of Al-Hasan ibn Ali, a direct descendent of Umar, the second caliph. After … [Read more...]
UMAYYAD CASTLES (QASR AL-HEER AL-SHARQI, QASAR HISHAM, QASR AMRA)
Several Locations, Palestine, Jordan & Syria The Umayyads were well known as prolific builders, especially in and around their capital city of Damascus. Taking advantage of the construction expertise of local Byzantine architects and masons, the Umayyads dotted the region with dozens of palaces and castles. While few of these early medieval structures are still standing, … [Read more...]
RUINS OF THE WHITE MOSQUE
Ramla, Palestine The White Mosque of Ramla was once considered to be one of the wonders of Islam. Originally completed during the same era as the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, it was one of the three great pilgrimage mosques built by the Umayyad’s in the Holy Land. Unfortunately, time, geography, war and the elements have not been kind to the White Mosque, and all that … [Read more...]
AL-AQSA MOSQUE (MASJID AL-AQSA) & DOME OF THE ROCK
Jerusalem, Palestine Among the defining moments of the life of the Prophet Muhammad was his fabled night-journey to Jerusalem. In the course of a single evening, Muhammad traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem, and from there to Heaven, where he subsequently spoke with Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Specifically, the tradition of the Prophet’s journey only refers to his visit to ‘the … [Read more...]
DEAD SEA SCROLLS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
Qumran, Palestine In 1947, a Beduoin shepherd seeking some stray sheep accidentally stumbled upon one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time: a series of caves containing an astonishing collection of ancient scrolls, including some of the earliest known editions of several books of the Hebrew Bible. These writings, now collectively known as the Dead Sea … [Read more...]
BETAR FORTRESS
Battir, Palestine The fortress of Masada has long been honored as the place where the Jewish rebels of the Great Revolt made their final, suicidal stand against the overwhelming forces of the Roman army. However, it is a mistaken belief that Masada was the last vestige of a free and independent Judea. That honor technically goes to the Betar Fortress, the site where the … [Read more...]
ARCHITECTURAL LEGACY OF HEROD
Several Locations, Israel & Palestine Herod the Great, the notorious villain of the Christian Nativity Story and generally vilified by Jews and Christians alike, was also one of the most energetic kings and prolific builders in the entire history of ancient Judea. His architectural achievements surpassed even those of Solomon, and a surprising number of his projects … [Read more...]
ANCIENT SAMARIA
Sebastia, Palestine Samaria was an oddity among the ancient cities of Israel. Unlike the countless other villages and small cities in its immediate vicinity, it never boasted a significant Israelite population, or even a noteworthy Canaanite population, prior to the division of the kingdom. And yet in the period following the separation of Israel from Judea, Samaria soared … [Read more...]
VALLEY OF ELAH
Khirbet Qeiyafa, Palestine The history of the Israelites in ancient Canaan was one of nearly constant warfare. But of the more than one-hundred battles discussed in the Hebrew Bible, none are better known or more proudly remembered than the Battle of Elah. It was in this valley on the road from Bethlehem to Gath where the shepherd boy David challenged the mighty champion … [Read more...]
