Israel

Masada

WHS Score 3.78
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Votes 76 Average 4.01
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Votes for Masada

2.0

  • Lukasz Palczewski

2.5

  • Alikander99
  • GabLabCebu
  • Philipp Leu

3.0

  • Alexander Parsons
  • Christravelblog
  • Ilya Burlak
  • Jon Opol
  • Lucio
  • Roman Raab
  • Ssong.x

3.5

  • 2Flow2
  • Alexander Lehmann
  • Assif
  • boppare
  • CalvinLoh
  • DL
  • Hubert
  • Ivan Rucek
  • Javier
  • Juropa
  • Londonium
  • Martina Rúčková
  • nan
  • Solivagant
  • Zoë Sheng

4.0

  • Adrian Turtschi
  • Argo
  • Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero
  • Csaba Nováczky
  • DAB
  • Daniel Chazad
  • Dirk-pieter
  • Evgenii
  • Gary Arndt
  • Glenn Nightingale
  • Hanming
  • isabellemarais
  • JobStopar
  • jsobel21
  • Mikko
  • Philipp Peterer
  • Purrfect
  • sncjob
  • Stanislaw Warwas
  • Tarquinio_Superbo
  • Travelure
  • Wojciech Fedoruk

4.5

  • Allison Baker-Leigh
  • Cezar Grozavu
  • cmtcosta
  • Dorejd
  • George Gdanski
  • Hughes1920
  • Jan Zimmermann
  • J_neveryes
  • João Aender
  • Reisedachs
  • Wimmy
  • Xiquinho Silva
  • Zach

5.0

  • AGuzzo
  • AustralLights
  • bergecn
  • Can SARICA
  • Cholden324
  • Craig Harder
  • Dennis Nicklaus
  • Mikeupowers
  • Mkandasa
  • Monica Tasciotti
  • Ralf Regele
  • StaziG
  • TheShabe
  • tony0001
  • WalGra

Masada comprises ancient palaces and fortifications on top of an isolated rock plateau on the edge of the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea.

The remains of the Judaean king Herod the Great’s sumptuous palace complex are outstanding examples of classical Roman architecture. Masada became a symbol of Jewish cultural identity after the First Jewish-Roman War, when a siege of the fortress by Roman troops led to the site's Jewish fugitives choosing death over slavery. The Roman siege works have also been preserved and are the most complete anywhere in the Roman world.

Community Perspective: You can get to the top by cable car or on foot. Be aware that it is a place very popular with tourist groups (“It's the total package: spectacular scenery, Roman ruins, and Jewish significance”). DAB witnessed what the latter still means for Israeli army cadets, while Nan ponders the overly patriotic load.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Masada (ID: 1040)
Country
Israel
Status
Inscribed 2001 Site history
History of Masada
2001: Inscribed
Inscribed
Type
Cultural
Criteria
  • iii
  • iv
  • vi
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
Official
Related
All Links
UNESCO.org
Official Website
Related Resources
News Article
  • 7 Feb 2017 timesofisrael.com — Archaeologists get set to dig at Masada, after 11-year hiatus
  • 9 Mar 2007 jpost.com — A section of the ancient walls of Masada, one of the country's most poignant symbols of survival, is in danger of collapse as a result of a heavy downpour that drenched the desert site three years ago.
  • 16 May 2006 jpost.com — Could Masada fall again?

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Secular structure: Military and Fortifications
Travel Information
Israel and Palestine Hotspot
Recent Connections
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Connections of Masada
Individual People
Geography
  • Lowest (below sea level)
    Its summit is 59m above sea level but the boundaries on the Dead Sea side at least are lower than -200m.
Trivia
History
Ecology
  • Table Mountain
    "The cliffs on the east edge of Masada are about 400 m high and the cliffs on the W are about 91 m high; ...... The top of the plateau is flat and rhomboid-shaped, about 550 m by 270 m" (wiki). The mountain is a "horst" - a "raised fault block bounded by normal faults or graben"
Architecture
World Heritage Process
Religion and Belief
Human Activity
Constructions
Timeline
WHS Hotspots
News
timesofisrael.com 07/02/2017
Archaeologists get set to dig at M…
jpost.com 09/03/2007
A section of the ancient walls of …
jpost.com 16/05/2006
Could Masada fall again?
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Community Reviews