One of the most famous attractions in the Old City of Jerusalem is on the verge of collapse, and engineers are warning that if that should happen, it would be catastrophic.
All who walk from the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City to the Western Wall will pass through or by the carved Roman columns and the famous arches that make up the Cardo. The exciting archaeological discovery was uncovered following the liberation of Jerusalem in the Six Day War. The Cardo is certainly a living testimony to ancient Jerusalem in the Roman and Byzantine periods. However, the ancient find, which is also one of the most important tourist attractions in the city, is in clear and immediate danger of collapsing.
A special engineering report that was recently submitted to the Minister of Construction and Housing and Jerusalem legacy, Ze’ev Alkin, reveals the need for urgent intervention, in order to prevent the deterioration of the entire complex.
"There are disintegrations in the stone and an engineering imbalance in some of the arches," he states. The report, submitted by "Shafer Ronan Engineers", also points to missing stones that apparently fell out, wear and tear of the limestone, cracks discovered in the structure, and rust.
#Jerusalem #Kotel #Sug #Cardo #BlueandWhite @LechemBasar #in #blogboost #adjuvancy https://t.co/zZNs3QUgmNhttps://t.co/tMq0Ezuxa2 pic.twitter.com/aD9xr7g2cI
— Roy A. Ackerman (@RAAckerman) August 11, 2022
The Cardo, an ancient street with an avenue of impressive Roman columns, was once the heart of the Roman city of Ilia Capitolina, which was built on the ruins of Jerusalem, after the great rebellion in 70 AD. The street bisected the city and served as a central trade route. The stone arches are remnants of the shops that stood under the columns. A modern residential building was built above the cardo in the 1970s and today also includes shops, mainly for souvenirs and Judaica, so in the spirit of the original Cardo, the complex is still used as a central commercial space.
Dr. Anat Avital, director of a travel company that conducts tours in Jerusalem, says that the Cardo was built by Emperor Hadrian. "He also extended it, continued to pave it south, and basically turned it into two Cardos."
Archaeologist Naria Sapir from the Jerusalem District of the Antiquities Authority explained that the cardo we are referring to is the western one. "The eastern cardo stretches from Hayom Street towards The Nablus gate. The uniqueness of Jerusalem is, among other things, its antiquity," says Sapir. "The main street of the city is certainly an element that we want to preserve for all generations and maintain the character of the place."
$725,000 earmarked for preservation of #Jerusalem's crumbling #Roman cardo, work due to begin in coming weeks. https://t.co/Mi8eIOSjKQ #RomanMiddleEast #Archaeology #Israel #RomanArchaeology pic.twitter.com/wWN4vLwqyO
— Roman Middle East (@RomanMiddleEast) September 21, 2022
Being a major tourist attraction and a crucial part of Israel’s history, The State of Israel is likely to fund the maintenance work that is needed to preserve the complex. No word yet on what will, if anything, happen to the residents who live on the structures above it, however, Israeli precedent for similar situations is to relocate anyone who is in danger and compensate owners if the structures require demolition.
