The Zedekiah’s Cave is open to the public, combined with a new immersive audio-visual show – Secrets under the Walls
Underneath the houses of the old city hides a cave of incredible size and beauty: Zedekiah’s Cave, one of the most spectacular and mysterious sites in Jerusalem.
The new audio-visual show – Secrets Under the Walls
After almost 4 years in which the Zedekiah Cave was closed, it was re-opened to the public, with the recent addition of immersive audio-visual show (meaning the experience that envelops the visitors from all sides and senses).
The vision turns the visit to the cave into a mesmerizing journey in time and space and is conducted as a tour projected at stations on its dark walls, into the depths of the cave, into the Mesopotamian world of the First Temple period, into the legends and myths of the Second Temple period and into the secrets and legends hidden within its walls.
In the depths of the cave, we will meet the mythological cherub from the Ark of the Covenant, the legendary “dill worm” with the help of which the stones of Solomon’s temple were carved, the hidden spring, and also members of the secret order of believers from which the first “headstone” in history was carved. We will join Zedekiah’s journey to exile in Babylon and end with the rebuilding of Israel after 2000 years of exile.
The vision “Secrets under the walls” offers a unique opportunity to delve into the intricacies of history and explore the mysterious stories that are hidden beneath the surface, literally.
The Zedekiah Cave, which was a rare experience in the city even before the introduction of modern technology, has now become one of the leading attractions in the city.
The cave is open Sunday-Friday and Saturday 9:00-17:00, Friday – closed.
Purchase details later on this page.
Participation in the vision –
Starting from 7/30/23, Sunday-Friday at 9:00-10:00, 14:00-15:00
For purchase: https://pami.smart-club.co.il/smartClub/app/#/order-ticket/tickets-purchase-wizard?systemId=4016&eventId=18
Between the hours of 10:00-14:00: for organized groups/agents/institutions by prior arrangement at [email protected]
Conditions and instructions – individual visits to the Zedekiah Cave
- The entrance to the Zedekiah Cave (for the audiovisual vision and the cave itself) is at the hours and times published on the website of “Development of East Jerusalem” only.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Cancellation of an entry ticket order will be possible three business days in advance (not including Friday-Saturday) and only in writing to: [email protected] After that no cancellations will be accepted.
- Please note – cancellation within 3 business days/no-show for the tour/late for the visit – will be charged at full cost! Unfortunately, it is not possible to postpone an ordered visit.
Visiting procedures:
- The visit to the sites is suitable for all days of the year and for all weather. Weather is not a reason to cancel the visit.
- Children up to the age of 5 (not included) are not charged.
- Guided tours/ entrance to the audiovisual vision in the Zedekiah Cave – No refund / compensation will be given for non-arrival / lateness to guided tours or the audio-visual vision in the Cave of Zedkiyo *for any reason*. Arrive early. Others will not be allowed to enter the activity in order not to harm the experience of other visitors to the site.
- Pay attention – in the cave of Zedekiah – important!!! This site is not recommended for children under the age of 6 due to the complexity of the technology and content. Parents who choose to enter with their children – it is recommended to check the suitability of the activity for your children.
About the cave:
The Zedekiah cave, which has an area of about 9000 square meters, is about 225 m long, about 100 m wide, and about 15 m high, was used as an ancient quarry.
From there they carved the stone known by its Arabic name “Mizi Malka”, a fine building stone that was used to build the magnificent buildings of Jerusalem. As far as is known, the quarrying began on the site during the First Temple.
Legend has it that during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, Zedekiah, the last king of Judea, escaped through this cave to Jericho, and since then it has been named after him, and the spring that flows from its depths is called the “Spring of Zedekiah’s Tears”.
As far as is known, the quarrying at the place began in the days of the First Temple.
Joseph ben Matthieu called it the “Cave of the Kings”, and from it, the stones for the building of Jerusalem and the Temple were cut during the Second Temple period.
It disappeared from sight with the construction of the city walls in the Ottoman period and was revealed again, by chance, at the beginning of the 20th century.
The last quarrying from the cave took place at the beginning of the 20th century AD, when stones were hewn from it to build the clock tower that once stood above Jaffa Gate, and was destroyed during the British Mandate period, and later stones to build the communion room in the YMCA tower.
Members of the secret “Masons” order adopted the ancient quarry as a meeting and gathering place, and founded the first Lodge of Freemasons in the Holy Land.
The tour of the cave envelops the visitor in a mesmerizing silence where you can almost still hear the reverberation of the chisels of the carvers and the trickling of the spring of Zedekiah’s tears.
It is recommended to combine the visit to the cave with a visit to the Northern Ramparts Walk.
Entrance is paid. Events can be held there.
How to get there?
By foot – from IDF Square along the Old City Walls Garden. The cave entrance is hidden between Damascus Gate and Herods Gate.
By car – paid public parking lot.
Public transport: Light rail/Egged lines leading to Sultan Suleiman Street/Damascus Gate. You can reach it by foot from Safra Square.
Opening hours and audio-visual show:
Sun – Thu: 09:00 – 16:00 in winter time, and 09:00 – 17:00 in summer time.
Friday: closed
Viewing the show for the public, by prior reservation only, on Sun-Fri at 9:00-10:00, and 14:00-15:00
You can enter the cave for a self-guided tour (without the audio-visual show) starting from 30.7.23 on Sunday-Friday and Saturday between the hours of 15:00-16:00 in the winter time, and between the hours of 15:00-17:00 in the summertime.
