The Tower of David - of the ancient citadel located near the Jaffa Gate, in the west of the old town. Now it is a museum of the history of Jerusalem.

The biblical King David, the founder of ancient Israel (X century BC. E.), The tower has a very indirect relationship - the fortress at the highest point of the city was built by the kings of the Hasmonean dynasty, only in the II century BC. e. After the Hasmoneans came to power, Herod the Great, who in the 37 - 34 years BC. e. added to the citadel three powerful towers. He called them the names of loved ones, "Fasano" - in honor of his brother-suicide, "Miriam" - in memory of his second wife, who had killed himself, and "Gippikus" - in honor of one of his friends. Countless siege and destruction of subsequent periods experienced only the tallest tower, "Fasano" - its lower part and it is today the Tower of David.

The name is, apparently, to the days of the Byzantine Empire: Eastern Christians believed that it was in the West 773-meter high hill was located was once the palace of King David. The Arabs conquered Jerusalem in 638, strengthened the citadel so that the crusaders failed to take it by storm in 1099. However, it took in 1187, the great warrior Saladin. It was destroyed and rebuilt again in the XIII century, the Mamluks, over four hundred years there were garrisoned the Ottoman Turks. They have added to the tower minaret towering over the city so far.

In the First World War, when British troops occupied Jerusalem, just at the entrance to the Tower of David, the commander of the British General Allenby took a solemn surrender. Between the world wars there is a museum of Palestinian folklore. After the Arab-Israeli war of 1948 - 49 years at the time of the fortress regained its military role: it was based Jordanian Arab Legion. Only after Israel's victory in the Six Day War of 1967 was the stronghold of a peaceful object: since 1989 there is a museum of the history of Jerusalem.

The exposition of the museum allows you to see how growing and developing Jerusalem for forty centuries. This process clearly illustrate the excellent three-dimensional model of the city, and the video hologram. Part of the exhibition is the courtyard of the museum - archaeological park with the ruins of the years up to 2700 years. Visitors can climb the ramparts, from which you can survey the whole of Jerusalem, including the Old City.

The Tower of David - the traditional venue of the city festivals, fairs of folk handicrafts, concerts. It regularly hosts an impressive laser show: on the walls of the citadel under the authentic music are projected staged episodes from the long history of Jerusalem. The show is organized after sunset, and tourists better to bring warm sweaters - night in Jerusalem is cold.