The Southern Steps- Jerusalem

The Southern Wall is at the southern end

 of the Temple Mount 

and the former southern side

 of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. 

It was built during King Herod's expansion 

of the Temple Mount platform.

The Southern Wall is 922 feet in length. 

The enormous retaining wall is built

 of enormous blocks of Jerusalem stone, 

the face of each ashlar(block) is edged with a margin. 

The unmortared blocks are so

 finely fitted together that a knife blade

 cannot be inserted between the blocks.

Pilgrims in the time of Jesus

 entered through these gates into the Temple precincts.

In the post-1967 dig,

 it was discovered that the Hulda gates

 led into a grand staircase

 and served as the principle entrance

 to the temple in the Roman period.

An enormous flight of steps leads to the 

Southern Wall from the South.

They were evacuated after 1967,

 by archeologist Benjamin Mazar

 and are the northernmost extension

 of the Jerusalem pilgrim road

 leading from the Pool of Siloam

 to the Temple Mount 

via the Double Gate and the Triple Gate,

 collectively called the Huldah Gates.

These are the steps that Jesus of Nazareth

 and other Jews

 of his era walked up to approach the Temple,

 especially on the great pilgrimage festivals.

 The stairs that lead to the double gate

 are intact and "well-preserved."

Perhaps Jesus sang the songs of Ascent

 as he walked up to the Temple on these very stairs.

Our Tour Group- LCMS District Presidents at the top of the Southern Steps

 with Tour Leader Tom Krause on the right.

Our Tour Group-The LCMS District President's wives

 at the top of the Southern steps

 with Tour Leader Miriam Krause on the right.

Rev. Tom and Miriam Krause- Tour Leaders

The view of Jerusalem from the Southern steps

These large stones in front of the gate openings

 are where Jesus would have passed through-

 perhaps this very spot.

Breathe in the closeness of our Savior-

living, walking, singing, stopping, resting,

looking out over Jerusalem, 

looking up at Temple Mount,

praying right here.