Hezekiah’s Pool
Hezekiah’s pool is an impressive water storage pool, apparently dating back to the era of the Second Temple. It is located in the Christian Quarter and surrounded by densely packed and crowded buildings. The eastern boundary of the pool adjoins the Christian Quarter Road, and most of the shops on the western side of the street have small windows that overlook the pool. Its southern side adjoins David Street, the north with the Coptic Khan, and the west with various buildings in the Christian Quarter.
The pool was part of the water supply system of Jerusalem and the Temple during the time of the Second Temple. The water source was probably the Mamilla pool. The Greek name of the pool is: “Amigdalon” (the walnut tree), probably a mistaken pronunciation of the Hebrew name “Migdalim (the Towers) Pool”, mentioned by the second temple era historian, Yosef Ben Matityahu. This name might have been given to the pool due to its proximity to the Herod towers. During the crusaders era, the pool was named “The Pool of the Patriarch”. The Arab name is “Birkat Hammam El Batrak”.
After the pool was cut off from its water sources and dried out, it was filled with sewage and garbage whose stench rose to the high heavens. In 2011 the Jerusalem municipality and the Jerusalem Development Authority started an operation to evacuate the huge amounts of garbage filling the pool, and its bottom was exposed after decades of neglect and filth.