Fortress Herodium
The Herodion Fortress belongs to the national Park, located near the village of Tekoa, and is under Israeli protection. Here, on an artificially grown hill, stands this ancient mighty castle, built by Herod the Great. This beautiful medieval building is not only the only one in the world that bears the name of this great ruler, but also serves as his burial place.
Herod himself appointed the place of construction of the Herodion castle. He decided that this would be the area where he would defeat the army of Miriam Hasmonean. Thus, a fortress was erected on a mound, which can be compared to a volcanic formation. The height of this grandiose building, at the time of construction, can be compared with a modern eight-storey house.
Herod the Great is famous not only for this fortress, he is the author of other magnificent structures, which he named after his relatives. And although the ruler did not spend most of his time in this place, it seems that the mighty fortress of Herodion was very close to him, because it was here that he wanted to be buried.
The territory of the fortress was divided into two parts, the so-called upper and lower levels. The first one housed the government palace itself, and the second one housed residential buildings that were intended for family and friends. The most important building of the upper part had a round shape, which was, at that time, the latest architectural breakthrough. Baths, a synagogue, and underground storage facilities were located near it. The lower part was decorated with a wonderful garden with a variety of gazebos for relaxing and dining.
Later, when Herod was dead, the castle of Herodion passed from hand to hand. Jews, Romans, and Arabs are remembered among the owners. In the 20th century, excavations began actively on the territory of the fortress, namely in the part where the main royal palace was located. And when the archaeological team was headed by Ehud Netzer, a worthy find worth attention was discovered. This archaeological value was the grave of Herod the Great. And although the body was not there, Netzer confidently claimed that it belonged to the Great ancient ruler Herod. During the excavations, many underground shelters, pits, and passages were discovered that helped to hold the line during an attack.
This mysterious fortress of Herodion is of great interest among tourists, who are also curious about where the body of Herod the Great went, and whether it was buried in the discovered grave.
