Commanding a prominent elevated location overlooking the Old City, the Citadel started life as the palace of Herod the Great. Also used as a palace by the Romans and Crusaders, the structure was extensively remodelled by the Mamluks and Ottomans and is now home to the impressive Museum of the History of Jerusalam , which tells the story of the city in a series of chronologically arranged exhibits starting in the second millenium BCE and finishing in 1948.
A megalomaniacal builder, Herod furnished his palace with three enormous towers, the largest of which was reputedly modelled on the Pharos of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The chiselled-block remains of one of the lesser towers still serve as the base of the Citadel’s main keep. Following Herod’s death the palace was used by the Roman procurators; it was here that Pontius Pilate is said to have judged Jesus (John 18:28–19:16). The building was largely destroyed by Jewish rebels in 66 CE and the Byzantines, who came along some 250 years later, mistook the mound of ruins for Mt Zion and presumed that this was David’s palace – hence the name Tower of David. They constructed a new fortress on the site.
As Jerusalem changed hands, so too did possession of the Citadel, passing to the Muslim armies and then to the Crusaders, who added the moat. It took on much of its present form in 1310 under the Mamluk Sultan Malik an-Nasir, with Süleyman the Magnificent making further additions between 1531 and 1538. Süleyman is responsible for the gate by which the Citadel is now entered, and it was on the steps here that General Allenby accepted the surrender of the city on 9 December 1917, ending 400 years of rule by the Ottoman Turks.
There is plenty to read and see in the museum, and a visit is highly recommended (try to come when you first arrive in the city, as the exhibits give an excellent introduction to its history and architecture). A useful audioguide is available at no charge on the museum website – download it before you arrive. There's a cafe in the garden courtyard and good views of the city can be enjoyed from the highest ramparts.
The popular Night Spectacular (adult/student and child 55/50NIS), a 45-minute sound-and-light show about the history of Jerusalem, is staged in the Citadel's internal courtyard twice per night, five nights per week; start times vary depending on what time the sun sets. See the website for details.
