Jerusalem 2nd Temple Model @Israel Museum

Jerusalem at the Time of the second (Third) Temple

Back in the early 60s someone created a 1 to 50 scale construction of what Jerusalem would have looked like in the days of Herod the Great.

This period is called the Second Temple period even though Herod knocked down the second temple (the one built in the days of Zarubabel) and built a new one on that site.

They did the best they could in their model. There are some errors that are fairly obvious. For example, the walls are not quite at the right places (neither the outer or inner walls) and the rooftops were not red back then. The outer wall in the time of Herod was further from the temple than the wall built by Sulimain in the 16th century.

Anyway, the first image shows what would have been the view from the top of the Mt of Olives.

The second image shows the steps on the south side of the temple. This is what the common folk would use to bring offerings.

The third image shows the view from the east (between the city and the Mt of Olives). There was almost no development on that side.

The fourth image shows the view of the tower of David toward the temple mount.

The fifth image shows the view from south of the city