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General information
Jericho
Jericho - is believed to be the world's oldest continuously inhabited city, archaeologists have unearthed the remains of over 20 successive settlements there dating back to 9000 BC. Today a thriving market town with the archaeological remains of the Walls of Jericho destroyed by Joshua; there is also a 7th.century palace and an ancient synagogue. 






Some of the main Sites to visit
:


Hashmonean Palace
- is located 2.5km west of Jericho and stands in a park laid out with terraces and water channels and planned around a spacious courtyard. Among the structure is a large audience chamber, Roman baths and a Jewish ritual bath. The most striking feature is a large swimming pool, which is believed to be where Herod and his brother in law downed.

Hisham’s Palace - lies north of Jericho. It was built in 724 but subsequently destroyed by an earthquake in 746. The site was covered by sand and remained buried until British archaeologists found it in 1937 and excavated the area. Finds from the site include figures of early Islamic art and can be seen in the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem.
The palace is entered through a spacious forecourt containing a square pool, originally covered by a domed roof. There is a circular window, which was originally one of the rooms surrounding the courtyard. In the west wing there are steps leading down to an underground bathhouse. To the north are the remains of a mosque and beyond this a large bathhouse with sixteen pillars holding the roof. Parts of the mosaic pavement have been preserved.
Northwest is a small room, probably a reception room depicting three gazelles under an orange tree in mosaic which has been completely preserved. 


Mount of Temptation
- is located northwest of Old Jericho on a hill on which Jesus fasted after being baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist The Greek Orthodox church acquired the site, and in 1895 built the Sarandarion monastery (a name which refers to the forty days of Jesus's fast). From the monastery a steep path runs up to the summit, on which are the remains of St Chariton's chapel and the Hasmonean fortress of Dok. 


The Islamic shrine of Nabi Musa (the Prophet Moses) - lies in the Judaean Desert to the south of Jericho, on the Israeli-occupied west bank of the Jordan.
According to an old tradition, however - probably originating among Christian pilgrims in the Middle Ages and taken over by the Muslims - he was buried on the west bank of the Jordan at Nabi Musa. Saladin knew about this place in the 12th century, and the Mameluke Sultan Baibars (1260-77) built a mosque here with a large cenotaph for Moses. Accommodation for pilgrims was provided in the 15th century. 


Going north from Elisha's spring in Jericho you will come to an avenue of cypresses, and a house, which has in the cellar a mosaic pavement from a synagogue of the Byzantine period (fifth-sixth century). In the center is a medallion containing a menorah, a palm branch, a ram's horn and the Hebrew inscription "Shalom al Israel" ("Peace for Israel"). 





Tel Jericho - is 2.5km northwest of Jericho and marks the site of ancient Jericho. Archaeologists uncovered the oldest traces of human settlement, dated around 8000 BC. The most noticeably feature is a large trench which archaeologists cut through the hill in order to investigate the various occupation levels down to undisturbed soil. In the trench can be seen remains of the Neolithic town of around 7000 BC, which consists of a section of the town wall and a high round tower. On the east side you can see the entrance leading to the 22 steps of a spiral staircase.

Emergency Phone Numbers:
Police - 100
Magen David - First Aid 101
Fire Department - 102
Electric Company Hotline - 103