BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Important Temple Mount Model Returns to Jerusalem

Bible and archaeology news

A 19th-century model of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, which details nearly every early excavation and underground passageway known at the time, was returned to Jerusalem last week. The model, which measures 13 feet long and 10 feet wide, was created by the German architect and archaeologist Conrad Schick for the 1873 Vienna World’s Fair. It is a meticulous recreation of the Temple Mount area in the mid-19th century and, like many of Schick’s models, various sections of the model can be opened up and dismantled to reveal building interiors and underground areas. “It’s not only beautiful, it’s also an important research tool,” said archaeologist Shimon Gibson. “It was built by a man who visited every pit and understood the topography in a way we can’t fathom.” After being displayed at the World’s Fair, the model made its way to the St. Chrischona mission near Basil, Switzerland, where it remained for 138 years. It is now on display in Christ Church near Jerusalem’s Jaffa Gate.

A 19th-century model of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, which details nearly every early excavation and underground passageway known at the time, was returned to Jerusalem last week.