Here, close to Wilson's Arch, is the "Hall of the Hasmoneans."
It was "discovered" by Charles Warren during his excavation work
in the late 1860s. Impressed by its beauty, Warren named the
room the "Hall of the Freemasons." The room includes a number of
distinctive features: - decorative molding - central pillar -
mikveh (ritual bath) - double door For a fuller view of how the
room may have looked, enjoy the following picture. Drawing
courtesy of Dr. Leen Ritmeyer Was this a Chamber of the Council
Building, mentioned by Josephus? Archaeologists believe that
this building was used much earlier, during the reign of the
Hasmoneans, for some public function. This is one of the few
remains of the magnificent buildings from the Second Temple
Period. The hall is part of a group of buildings from the Second
Temple era, which are located next to the Temple Mount. Take a
moment to appreciate the beauty and grandeur, and the room's
unique dressed stones. Such craftsmanship is the mark of the
Herodian period. If you look