Herodium (Herodion) National Park

Herod, the controversial king, responsible for historical classics such as Caesarea, Masada and other monuments which have survived many generations, has chosen to be buried here of all places, at the edge of the Judean Desert, on a mountain which is a palace and a palace which is a mountain. When you get here you will understand. This is a wondrous combination of the natural and the manmade, which over time have become one. This great mountain-palace (built 23-15 BCE) has included in its day gardens, Roman style luxurious baths and vast living spaces. Today only remnants remain of all of these, together with a breathtaking panoramic view seen from the top of the mountain, which includes the Dead Sea (on a clear day). One of the most enjoyable surprises here is the branching underground tunnel system which was dug in the mountain, some of it at the time of King Herod and some later, at the time of the Bar Kokhba revolt (132–136 CE). In 2007, the lost grave of King Herod the Great was found here, and next to it the remains of a theater and a room with over 2,000 years old magnificent paintings which were painted on dry plaster.