The Tower Of David Citadel Museum, Jerusalem

This Passover we were given the last minute gift of a complimentary vacation rental apartment in the Old City of Jerusalem for the duration of the holiday, in exchange for hosting a single father and his two sons for the Passover seder and a few days after that. It is true, for some all the rush and uncertainty together with preparing the kitchen properly wouldn’t be a gift, but for us it certainly was! We had the opportunity to explore the history of Jerusalem up close, experience living withing a walled city, and witness the crowds who flock to the Western Wall for the entire week. One of the places I’ll now recommend to everyone is The Tower of David Museum, both an interesting archeological site and a museum in one, with a fabulous night experience projected on the walls to boot! There are lots of stairs and places to explore, so it is perfect for kids, and the panoramic view one can enjoy by climbing to the top of one of the towers is uncomparable. The Tower of David Museum is located adjacent to Jaffa Gate, the entrance most take when visiting the city, so its location is also perfect! Lets take a look……

The museum is housed within what is not a castle, but rather a Citadel, a medieval fortress with architectural additions from later periods. It is located near the Jaffa Gate, the historic entrance to the Old City and the point where the East meets the West. The Tower of David has been the symbol of the city of Jerusalem for generations, though funny enough the Citadel has no connection to King David! The roots of this mistake date back to the Byzantine period, and the Tower of David was first referred to a now 2,000 year old square tower, and now to a 500 year old minaret. It is true King David was in the neighborhood, just not here!

The famous 500 year old minaret, which now has rings around it to keep it in place.
With in the musuem are many vantage points to truly enjoy the structure.