Qasr al Yahud means the “Castle of the Jews” in Arabic and this is the name used by both Jews and Christians today. Interestingly, Arabs refer to the site as “al Maghtas” which means immersion. The site is located in the Jordan River Valley just north of the Dead Sea. When next traveling to the Dead Sea beaches, Qumran or Masada from Jerusalem it is well worth the short detour to visit the site. Regardless of your faith or lack thereof, Qasr al Yahud on the banks of the River

Not everyone thought he was so great but that’s how he is known to the world – Herod the Great. He was definitely a great builder. Not only did he (re)build the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the palace/fort in Masada, but he also built a magnificent port city at Caesarea. As the name suggests Herod dedicated this port city to his Roman overlord – Augustus Caesar, who kept him on the throne of Judea. Long before Herod established the city, Caesarea was a small docking station