Masada, Fortress and archaeological site in the Judaean Desert, Israel

The site sits on a rock plateau that rises 450 meters (1480 feet) above the Dead Sea, surrounded by steep cliffs on the eastern and western sides. At the top, the remains of palaces, storage rooms, and walls spread across the flat terrain, with some structures still partly standing and showing the layout of the compound.

King Herod built the compound between 37 and 31 BCE as a personal retreat and fortified position. Centuries later, Jewish rebels used the location as a final refuge during a revolt against Rome.

The synagogue on the summit was found during Yigael Yadin's excavations in the 1960s, and it is one of the few ritual buildings of the Second Temple period identified at the site. Scroll fragments and a genizah were recovered there. The Hebrew name Metzada, 'mountain fortress', comes from the Aramaic Metzadaʾ recorded in the Wadi Murabbaʿat texts.

Two trails lead to the summit: the Snake Path from the east and the Roman Ramp from the west, both requiring considerable effort and stamina. Hikers should start early in the morning to avoid the heat, as the climb becomes demanding under full sun.

Twelve cisterns carved into the rock formed the water system and could store 40,000 cubic meters (10.5 million gallons) of rainwater to endure long sieges. Channels collected water from the surrounding mountains and directed it into these underground chambers, cut deep into the rock.