Jerusalem’s Jewish Quarter has just become even more fascinating with the opening of the new Visitors Center at the Broad Wall. This site offers a rare, tangible link to the dramatic events of the First Temple Period, bringing biblical history to life right beneath your feet.

A Discovery that Reshaped History

The story of the wall’s “rediscovery” is as compelling as the stones themselves. In the 1970s, following the reunification of Jerusalem, a team of archaeologists from the Hebrew University began excavating the ruins of the Jewish Quarter. Led by the renowned Professor Nahman Avigad, they stumbled upon a massive fortification, up to 7 meters wide, that initially defied explanation.

Prof. Avigad dated the wall to the 8th century BCE, identifying it as the monumental fortification project of King Hezekiah. This wall was built to protect the city’s expanding western suburbs from the looming Assyrian threat. History tells us that Hezekiah’s preparations worked; while the Assyrian King Sennacherib laid siege to the city and devastated the surrounding Kingdom of Judah, Jerusalem itself held firm and was never conquered.

The New Visitors Center Experience

The newly inaugurated Visitors Center elevates the site from an archaeological ruin to an immersive educational journey. The highlight is a 10-minute audio-visual show that masterfully presents the wall’s historical significance and the thrilling details of its 20th-century discovery.

Beyond the screen, the center showcases a curated collection of artifacts, primarily from the First Temple Period. These treasures were unearthed during excavations of the Broad Wall, the nearby Israelite Tower, and the Herodian Quarter, offering an intimate look at the daily lives of Jerusalemites over 2,700 years ago.

A tour of the Visitor Center of the Broad Wall can be combined with a day tour of Jerusalem.