Tower of David

The Tower of David is an ancient citadel near the Jaffa Gate entrance to Jerusalem's Old City, containing archaeological remains spanning over 2,500 years. Built on Hasmonean foundations from the 2nd century BC, it was extensively fortified by Herod the Great, who named its three towers after his brother Phasael, wife Miriam, and friend Hippicus. The current structure dates mainly to the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, incorporating a 17th-century minaret. Archaeological finds include a First Temple period quarry, Roman ballistae, and a Byzantine mosaic. The site became the Tower of David Museum in 1989, reopening in 2023 after a major $50 million renovation.