Royal Stoa (Jerusalem)
Ancient basilica constructed by Herod the Great / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Royal Stoa (Hebrew: הסטיו המלכותי, romanized: Ha-stav ha-Malkhuti; also known as the Royal Colonnade, Royal Portico, Royal Cloisters, Royal Basilica or Stoa Basileia) was an ancient basilica constructed by Herod the Great during his renovation of the Temple Mount at the end of the first century BCE. Probably Herod's most magnificent secular construction, the three-aisled structure was described by Josephus as deserving "to be mentioned better than any other under the sun." A center of public and commercial activity, the Royal Stoa was the likely location of Jesus' cleansing of the Temple recounted in the New Testament. The Royal Stoa overlooked Jerusalem's residential and commercial quarters, and at its southwestern corner was the place from which a ram's horn was blown to announce the start of holy days.
Alternative name | הסטיו המלכותי |
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Location | Temple Mount, Jerusalem |
Coordinates | 31°46′33.42″N 35°14′10.38″E |
Type | basilica |
History | |
Builder | Herod the Great |
Material | Stone |
Founded | First century BCE |
Abandoned | First century CE |
Periods | Late Roman Republic, Early Roman Empire |
Site notes | |
Excavation dates | None |
Condition | Unexcavated |
Public access | Limited |
The Royal Stoa was destroyed by the Roman army during the sack of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Its site is currently inaccessible to archaeologists since it is occupied by the Al-Aqsa Mosque. However, artifacts from the Stoa have been recovered both from excavations at the foot of the platform and in secondary use in later constructions. This evidence has confirmed details given in the accounts of the historian Josephus, and has also allowed comparison of the Royal Stoa's decoration with that used in other, contemporaneous monumental buildings.