The Herodium, located in the West Bank, not far from Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, is one of the most important and impressive archeological sites in Israel. Also known as the Herodion National Park or Mount Herod, the site features beautiful architecture and captivating history, alongside the magnificent desert landscape.
The Story of the Herodium
In 28 BC, right after marrying his third wife Mariamne, the daughter of the High Priest, Herod laid the cornerstone for the city and fort of Herodium. He built the palace as a fortress between 22 BC and 15 BC, deliberately choosing the site where he had won a battle in 40 BC against the Euphrates and the Jews who cooperated with them.
Herod intended the fortress to serve two main purposes: as his mausoleum and as a place to escape in case of another Jewish rebellion. To secure the site, he surrounded Herodium with a double wall about 20 meters high and 63 meters in diameter.
Inside the walls, Herod constructed a magnificent palace with many rooms, a lounge, and a bathhouse. The main part of the palace was built to the north, forming a small city called the Lower Herodium, where remains of water pools and many buildings have been discovered. The Lower Herodium existed intermittently until the Byzantine period before being abandoned.
With Herodium’s construction, the city became the district’s capital and was regularly inhabited by the king’s courtiers. Researchers believe Herod mainly used the palace as a summer home. He was buried there in a magnificent ceremony in 4 BC.
During the Great Revolt of 66, the Herodium fell to the Jewish rebels, who fortified it against the Roman forces. Four years later, after the destruction of the temple, the Roman governor of Judea, and the commander of the Tenth Roman Legion, took control of the fortress.
The Romans, in whose eyes the importance of the region of Judeah decreased after the suppression of most of the Jewish rebellion, soon abandoned the Herodium and it stood in ruins for years, until it was recaptured by the Jews during the Bar Kochba Revolt of 132-136. They carved a system of tunnels here and prepared it as a site for guerilla warfare in the future. When the rebellion was suppressed in 135, the Herodium was completely abandoned.
Visiting the Herodium
I’ll warn you right off the bat: if you’re not a fan of climbing stairs, you might want to think twice about this adventure! Oh, and leave those strollers at home – the terrain here isn’t exactly wheel-friendly. We kicked off our journey with a film at the reception that had our kids completely engrossed. Later, we caught another 3D movie in the on-site theater that was equally interesting.
After we took an easy circular walk at the base, we faced our first real challenge – a steep climb up numerous stairs. As we ascended, we discovered fascinating remnants of ancient structures scattered about. We pushed on a bit further up, and wow! The view that greeted us was absolutely mind-blowing. We admired the vast expanse of the Dead Sea, the rugged Judean Desert, and the quaint villages nestled in the landscape.
Our family adventure at Herodion National Park took us on an incredible journey through four fascinating periods of Israel’s history. We felt like time travelers! We started by exploring King Herod’s magnificent palace and tomb. Our kids were amazed at how grand everything was, imagining themselves as princes and princesses in ancient times.
Next, we all huddled in what used to be a living room, now converted into a synagogue. We explained to the children how this space was used during the Great Revolt against the Romans. They were captivated by the stories of rebellion and bravery. The highlight for our little adventurers was crawling through the tunnels dug by Bar Kochba’s warriors. We pretended to be ancient rebels ourselves, sneaking through the passages they used to outmaneuver the Romans in the second century AD.
Finally, we examined Byzantine crosses etched into the walls of Herod’s bathhouse. Our oldest was fascinated by how people from different time periods left their mark on the same place.
Throughout our visit, we played guessing games about what life was like in each era. The kids asked endless questions, and we all learned so much. Herodion turned out to be an exciting, interactive history lesson that our whole family enjoyed. It really brought the past to life for all of us!
Entrance fee:
Adults: 29 ILS
Kids: 15 ILS
Best sites to see in Herodium
Mount Herod
a partially man-made mountain with the remains of Herod’s palace, a bathhouse, and a set of fortifications, surrounded by a double wall and tall towers. In addition to the impressive architecture, From here you will get to see the incredible landscape of the Judean Desert.
Herod’s Tomb
The remains of Herod’s tomb, which was built on the outer slope of Mount Herod. From here, you’ll get magnificent views of Jerusalem.
Lower Herodium
Lower Herodion was designed with great precision, on a relatively small area under the mountain. Here, you will get to see sites like the Great Palace building, a bathhouse, and buildings that were used for the residences of guests and district administration personnel. Here is also the funeral site of Herod, which was carefully planned way ahead of his death.
Herodium Theater
A small theater that could host about 400 people, used mostly for the entertainment of guests. At the top of the theater, you can see the magnificently decorated private chamber of Herod.
