Warren's Shaft, Archaeological site near Gihon Spring in Jerusalem, Israel.

Warren's Shaft is a roughly 13-metre vertical natural karst shaft beside the Gihon Spring in the City of David. In the wider sense the name covers a stepped tunnel, a curved horizontal tunnel, the shaft itself and a feeding tunnel (Tunnel VI). The shaft drops to the water table, and a flat grey metal beam now stands in front of its narrow opening.

British archaeologists discovered this underground water system in 1867 during excavations at the City of David. The research revealed how the city accessed water thousands of years ago.

The shaft appears in biblical accounts of David's conquest of Jerusalem, particularly regarding a military entry into the Jebusite city. When walking through the underground passages, visitors can sense the historical weight of these ancient events.

You reach the shaft through the City of David archaeological park, where guides lead tours of the underground water system. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for narrow, damp conditions.

Excavations uncovered a fortified passage and spring tower from the Middle Bronze Age, showing how advanced water engineering was at that time. This discovery suggests the city was built with far more sophisticated methods than previously thought.