


Submitted by: Janette Swanson (from Albany, NY, USA)
Country: Israel

District: South District
Location: Masada [map]
Status since photo:

Masada is an ancient fortress that overlooks the Dead Sea. It was fortified in 37 and 31 BCE by Herod the Great, and is home to one of the oldest synagogues in Israel. The site was rediscovered in 1842 after being isolated from humans and nature for two millennia, and excavated in the 1960s. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.