Pilgrimage Road to Temple Mount Opens After Years of Digging

IFCJ Canada  |  February 6, 2026

The Pilgrims’ Path, or Pilgrimage Road, is a 2,000-year-old stone trail and staircase leading up to the Temple Mount from the southern part of the City of David. The 600-meter route was discovered more than 20 years ago by the Israel Antiquities Authority and has been under excavation ever since. Now, The Times of Israel reports that the digging has been completed, and the path is officially open to the public, with an inaugural walk taking place on January 20.

Occupying a slope just to the south of the Old City, the predominantly Palestinian neighbourhood of Silwan sits on what archaeologists understand to be the most ancient part of the 3,000-year-old city, much of which is today part of the City of David archaeological park. Over the years, excavations across different areas of the site have uncovered extraordinary finds spanning the history of Jerusalem, including the First Temple Period (1000-586 BCE), when a significant portion of the biblical narratives took place, and the Second Temple Period, which lasted until 70 CE.

The Pilgrimage Road, under excavation for some 20 years by archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority, is believed to have been built in the first years of the common era by either King Herod or Governor Pontius Pilate as the leading artery through which visitors ascended to the Temple from the south.

Because of where the road begins, it provides a direct link between the Pool of Siloam and the Temple Mount. The Pool of Siloam was a rock-cut pool located near the southeastern walls of the Old City and served as the starting point for pilgrims entering Jerusalem. Historians describe how millions gathered there during major Jewish holidays such as Passover and Sukkot. After Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, the road was buried beneath the rubble.

Today, the Pilgrimage Road is a regular feature of City of David tours. Visitors often describe walking through it as feeling like stepping into the Bible. Even before its official opening, dignitaries from around the world came to see the site and its connections to the Scriptures.