Jerusalem, February 18, 2026
Photo: Times of Israel
A 2,000-year-old street that once carried millions of pilgrims toward the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is now open to visitors for the first time, following nearly two decades of excavation.
The Pilgrimage Road, believed to have been built in the early first century AD under either King Herod or Governor Pontius Pilate, runs from the area of the ancient Siloam Pool in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan northward to the Jerusalem Archaeological Garden adjacent to the Western Wall. The road stretches approximately .35 miles and travels largely underground beneath modern infrastructure, reports the Times of Israel.
The first public tours took place on January 20.
Excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority have uncovered original Herodian stone paving in portions of the road, along with remnants of shops, a small ritual bath, and a podium that may have served ceremonial purposes.
“This is one of the most magnificent archaeological discoveries in Jerusalem in the last decades,” said Amit Re’em, IAA chief archaeologist for the Jerusalem District. “For the first time, you can see this direct link between the Siloam Pool and the Temple Mount.”
The road was sealed under the city following the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, a fact that archaeologists say contributed to its remarkable state of preservation. Jewish and historical sources record that during the Second Temple Period, millions of pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem each year for the festivals of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot.
Visitors can now book guided tours or explore a section of the road independently through the City of David archaeological park.
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