Tower of David.

Today's post covers the Tower of David Museum.  I found many exhibits in the museum very interesting.  Sadly I could not take photos in any of the inside exhibits, about half of the visit to the museum.  I like when a museum will give an illustration with a color coded explanation covering the time periods.  This helps me understand an exhibit.

We start off just inside the Citadel:

Next, I walked to the first station which is at the top of a tower giving you a great view of the inside of the Citadel:

On to the next station.  Here I am on top of a tower, giving a great view of the Old City.  This plaque give you some well known sights around the Citadel:

Here is the first picture of the great panoramic view:

The two grey domes in the middle of the photo are the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  On the middle right side, you can see the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum and Hebrew University.

The tall tower in the center is the Church of the Redeemer.  Just to the right, you can barely see the Agusta Victoria (what ever that is...).  Sadly, the Dome of the Rock (I call it the Shack off Ill Repute) is very visible.  Just to the right, you can see the Russian Church A-Tur.

I like this view the best.  Just to the left you can see the Mt. of Olives.  The small white dome in the middle is the Hurva Synagogue, a very beautiful building.



Here is a elevated view from another tower at the Citadel:

As I walked through the exhibits, I was able to get a great view of the inside.  I am amazed that the age of the buildings, still standing hundreds of years after they were built.

I like when there is an exhibit that gives detailed views of the different time periods of the area.  This was a great way for me to see how history has happened:

Here is a beautifully carved stone that was used in the vaulted tunnels in the Huldah Gates:

Here is another great exhibit showing the Old City during the Byzantine Period:

Here is a large water cistern from the Roman-Byzantine period (4th and 5th centuries CE):

A little further on, I came across some ruins from the Hasmonean (1st century BCE) and the Herodian Period (2nd century BCE):

Here are two great views just before I left the museum.: