Filming at the Cardo, Jerusalem

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TLDR

The Cardo was the main road in Jerusalem during the Roman and Byzantine eras, running from the Damascus Gate to the Zion Gate.

The Roman Emperor Hadrian built the Aelia Capitolina on the remains of Jerusalem after the Bar Kochba revolt in 132-135 CE. The Aelia Capitolina was built based on the format of Roman cities, which included wide grand Cardo streets.

The sides of the Cardo were flanked with columns, supporting the roofing which covered the streets, and there were shops on both sides. Remains of the Cardo were found during archeological digs in the Old City after the Six-Day War in 1967.

Over the years the width and usage of the Cardo streets have changed. The Cardo was made smaller in order to create more space for shops and housing. In the southern part of Cardo, there are two streets parallel to it: Hayehudim Street and Chabad Street.

Today, if you visit the archeological finds of the Cardo, you will find that it is split into two sections. There are several pillars, mostly intact, standing in the open air, and others that are in a covered section. In the covered section of the Cardo, you can also find a copy of the Madaba map that was originally found in a church in Jordan over a hundred years ago and shows the Biblical Lands during the 6th-7th century AD, and a replica of the menorah that was used in the Temple, built by the Temple Institute.

The importance of the map to this location is that it indicates that Jerusalem was the center of the area during that period, and the Cardo was the main street. If you are looking to film impressive remains of actual Byzantine columns, this is a good choice, however, you should take into consideration that the Jewish Quarter is a busy area, and it can often be congested with tourists.