A desert fortress above the Dead Sea
Masada is an isolated rock plateau in the Judaean Desert, fortified by Herod the Great with palaces, storerooms and cisterns. It is remembered for the siege of 73-74 CE, when Jewish rebels held out against a Roman legion, whose siege ramp and camps are still visible. Many visitors climb the winding Snake Path before dawn to watch the sun rise over the Dead Sea and the mountains beyond, or ride the cable car. Afterwards, float in the Dead Sea at nearby Ein Bokek or walk to the springs of Ein Gedi.