The largest man-made cave in Israel stretches five acres beneath the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, its vaulted ceiling dripping with stalactites. It was quarried over centuries, probably beginning in Herod's era, and the stone cut here went into building projects across Jerusalem. The entrance is a low doorway in the northern city wall between Damascus Gate and Herod's Gate — easy to miss if you are not looking for it.
The cave is cool year-round and eerily quiet given what lies above it. Guided tours explain the geology and the multiple layers of legend; the Freemasons have held rituals here for over two centuries. The cave is sometimes used for music events and cultural performances, which take on an exceptional resonance in the rock-hewn space.