The "Roman Ascent" to Jerusalem

RUINS: Ancient road into Jerusalem lies buried under construction debris. Historic pilgrims’ route known as the Roman Ascent now passes through sewage main and firing range.

The outskirts of Jerusalem, like the rest of the city, are a combination of the ugly and the beautiful. After Har Hamenuchot cemetery, under a heap of construction debris dozens of meters high, between a gigantic sewage main and the police firing range is a green valley though which the historic road to Jerusalem once ran. Very little has survived – a few curbstones, hints of ancient paving and archaeological remains at either end. The rest has been swept away over the years or disappeared under the cemetery, the range and the sewage main.

In honor of Sukkot, we took a walk along the ancient pilgrims’ route to Jerusalem, known as the Roman Ascent.

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Even though it may actually be a Hasmonean rather than a Roman road.