CityofDavid.org

A 350-meter section of the ancient Pilgrimage Road, the main street used by Jews walking from the Pool of Siloam to the Beis Hamikdash in the Second Temple period, was inaugurated at a ceremony in the City of David. Senior American and Israeli officials attended the event, marking the conclusion of six years of excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority, supported by the City of David Foundation.

The street, originally 600 meters long and 8 meters wide, was paved with massive stone slabs typical of Roman construction. Recent studies suggest it was built not by King Herod but during the rule of the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate. Burnt remains from the Churban were found along its length, giving archaeologists a glimpse into the final days of Jerusalem before its destruction.

Findings presented at the ceremony included silver coins from 33 CE used for the Half Shekel, fragments of ornate stone tables, jewelry such as a ring with a precious stone discovered in a mikvah, and vessels for perfume and oil. “The impressive street and the buildings along it show that a wealthy population lived here,” said excavation directors Dr. Joe Uziel, Ari Levy, Nachshon Szanton, Moran Hagbi, and Frankie Schneider.

US Ambassador David Friedman called the City of David “biblical Jerusalem brought back to life,” while City of David director David Be’eri declared, “The Romans thought they had ended Jewish life in Jerusalem, but today nothing could be further from the truth. The Jewish people have returned and rebuilt their capital.”

Israel Antiquities Authority director Yisrael Hasson said the project is part of a broader national plan to create “a structured and complete visitor experience,” calling it a “game changer.” Nature and Parks Authority head Shaul Goldstein described it as “extremely moving to walk the same road as Prophets, Kings, and the Jewish nation.”

Dr. Yuval Baruch, Jerusalem’s regional archaeologist, emphasized that this is the first time in 2,000 years that people can walk the full length of one of Jerusalem’s main streets. He noted that excavations begun by European and American researchers in the 19th century have now been completed, “answering questions that have been asked for more than a century.”

The City of David Foundation announced that the Pilgrimage Road will soon be opened to the public, allowing millions of visitors from Israel and abroad to walk once again on the same stones that carried pilgrims to the Beis Hamikdash.