Skip to content

Jerusalem’s Gates: Herod's Gate Traditional Geocache

Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

You are looking for a gum bottle. There are a lot of muggles around, therefore MAXIMUM STEALTH IS REQUIRED. Bring your own pen to sign the logbook. Watch out for the stinging nettle plants near GZ.

Note that this cache is located very close to the Rockefeller Museum, which is highly recommended to visit if you have the time.


This cache is part of the Jerusalem’s Gates Series. Don't forget to find the clue at this location, so to solve for the location of the final cache.

Herod's Gate (Hebrew: Sha'ar HaPerachim, Arabic: Bab al-Sahira) is a gate in the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. Its elevation is 755 metres above sea level. It adjoins the Muslim Quarter, and is a short distance to the east of the Damascus Gate. In proximity to the gate is an Arab neighbourhood called Bab al-Sahira, the same as the Arabic name for the gate. This modest gate is one of the newest gates of Jerusalem. At the time when Suleiman the Magnificent built the wall, a small wicket gate was situated in front of the current gate, which was rarely opened. By 1875, in order to provide a passageway to the neighbourhoods which were beginning to develop north of the Old City, the Ottomans made a breach in the northern part of the structure and closed the original opening. The gate is named after Herod the Great. That is because in the Crusaders' period a church was built near the gate in the belief that at the time of the Crucifixion of Jesus, Herod Antipas's house was situated at that spot. The church of Dir Al Ads stands in its place today. In 1998 and during several subsequent excavation seasons (the latest in 2004), archaeologists of the Israel Antiquities Authority dug in the eastern area of Herod's Gate. The digging focused on three separate areas adjacent to the wall, in which nine archeological layers were discovered – covering from the Iron age up through the Turkish period. Among the most significant discoveries were structures from the period of the Second Temple, a complete segment of the Byzantine-Roman wall, and remnants of massive construction underneath the wall. These remnants were identified as portions of a fortification from the ancient Muslim period and from the Middle Age. These discoveries point out the importance which the rulers of the city gave to the fortification of one of its most sensitive places—the northern wall of Jerusalem—as historical accounts indicate that circa 1099 the Crusader soldiers in the command of Godfrey of Bouillon entered the city through a breach located in proximity to the present Herod's Gate. This series is in memory of somloci, who set up the original, but now archived, "Jerusalem's Gates" series (GC1XRRQ, GC1XRRN, GC1XRRM, GC1XRRK, GC1XRRJ, GC1XRRH, GC1XRRG, GC1XRRF, GC1XRRE). His untimely passing was a tragedy for the entire Geocaching community.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Erdhverf na rnfl pyvzo. Pnpur vf va n irel ehfgl cvcr. Frr fcbvyre cubgb.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)