What is believed by many to be the Tomb of Queen Helena of Adiabene, or as it’s otherwise referred to, ‘The Tomb of the Kings’ will be reopened to the public for the first time since 2010 according to La Croix. The burial site is situated approximately 800 yards north of the Old City. The property is owned by the French government. It was closed for renovations but will now be reopened following construction upgrades that cost around 1 million euro.
The archaeological site is a 2,ooo-year-old Roman structure. Its reopening is “a long-standing decision,” a spokeswoman for the Consulate General stated.
It was “the objective of the very important work (to) secure the site for the public,” she said.
The tomb will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays mornings, upon reservation. Visitors will be charged a fee and are limited groups of 15 people.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz welcomed the decision, that he said required “complicated” negotiations.
He called on “the general public to visit places of great significance to the Jewish people and offer further testimony to the deep and multigenerational bond between the Jewish people and its eternal capital, Jerusalem,” he stated, lauding its “great religious and national significance.”
