More of Once upon a time in Jerusalem,
And this time – Mamilla Pool, a photograph from 1856.
Mamilla Pool is located in today’s Independence Garden, between Ben Sira Street and Agron Street, in front of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, the former Palace Hotel.
The construction of the pool began in the Byzantine period, and due to its relatively low topographical location, the pool collected rainwater from the area of today’s city center.
The depth of the pool is 6.5 meters and its size is about 6,300 square meters.
The pool was used as a water reservoir from which the water passed in the aqueduct that flowed under today’s Mamilla Mall Boulevard to the Hezekiah Pool in the Old City.
The Hezekiah Pool, located in the Christian Quarter, near today’s Jaffa Gate, was a mikveh that was dug during the Second Temple period and was used as a pool that was filled in the winter with rainwater.
Near the Mamilla pool, a Muslim cemetery was established, which contains several dozen graves of the dead with lineage from the Mamluk period, judges, rich gentlemen and governors from that period.
Privileged, but dead.
With the beginning of the exit from the old city walls at the end of the period of Ottoman rule in Israel, a commercial area began to develop near the walls that surrounded the pool, today’s Ben Sira Street area.
A scientific innovation was also discovered in the pool-
In 1997, a new species of tree frog, was discovered in the pond, and it was the first amphibian to be discovered in Israel after decades.
The frog was also given the popular name Ilanit Mamilla.
Since then, the Jerusalem bachelors have been walking around the Mamilla pool
They look for a rare frog in a puddle left after the winter rains, and if one is found they kiss it in the hope that it will become a princess’
Put on high heels and walk directly to the avenue of shops in Mamilla, with the echo of the heels rising above the ancient aqueduct that carried water from the Mamilla Pool to the Hezekiah Pool.
In most cases they are left with a sticky frog in their hand but with money in their pocket
Shabbat Shalom to the far and near from Jerusalem, and B’sorot Tovot.
Photography – August Salzman.
