Cardo in Jerusalem
Israel - Eilat - Haifa - Jerusalem - Tel Aviv
Jerusalem is an old city with various tourist attractions of historical importance. Though all are well- preserved nothing is as important as is Cardo in Jerusalem. Situated almost 20 feet below modern street level Cardo in Jerusalem is actually a street of the Old City, which was unearthed by the team of archaeologists under the leadership of Nahman Avigad in 1970, and is still very much in use. The most distinguishing feature of this avenue running from the whole length of the Old City from north to south is that it has two rows of columns on both sides.
The part of Cardo in Jerusalem, which was in the Jewish Quarter, was built during the time of Emperor Justinian i.e. during the first half of 6th century A.D. However, an earlier portion of Cardo was constructed in the Roman period and that was in the north, near the modern Damascus Gate. The central part of Cardo in
Jerusalem is about 40 feet in width and there are columns on both sides. The total width of the street along with the shopping areas on either side is 70 feet, which is equivalent to any 4-lane highway. This street which was regarded as the heart of Byzantine Jerusalem served as the main route for both the residents and the pilgrims. The street had a wooden roof supported by the columns, so that the shopping area was protected from the wraths of weather. An interesting thing to notice is that from the particular point along the roofed arcade if you look down you can see the some relics from the time of First and Second Temple
The most important feature about Cardo in Jerusalem is that the government decided to build a part of the street as a modern shopping arcade. This is a ‘goldmine’ for any shopaholic because here you will find fancy souvenirs and other items for cheap prices from Jewish shopkeepers. Another importance of Cardo in Jerusalem is that after leaving the Jewish Quarter this street serves as the division between the Christian and Muslim Quarters.
Therefore, whenever you go to Jerusalem you should visit Cardo not only because of its historical importance but also for its modern usage as a shopping arcade.
