Jerusalem - Solomon's Quarries (Zedekiah's Grotto)

To the east of the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem is a garden at the foot of the wall. 150m/165yds along this is an iron gate giving admission to Solomon's Quarries, a cave system with many ramifications extending under the Old City. According to an ancient tradition the stone for Solomon's buildings was quarried here. To the Jews this is known as Zedekiah's Grotto, in the belief that Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, hid here from the Babylonian forces in 587 B.C. before being captured and carried off with most of his people to Babylon.