Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology

Imagine being able to glide your hand over stone walls built by King Solomon, or walk through an ancient gatehouse used as a pulpit by Isaiah and other biblical prophets. Imagine being able to visit King David’s palace, or walk through the 1,740-foot tunnel carved from stone by King Hezekiah, or peer into the pit Jeremiah the prophet was cast into.

Thanks to the work of Dr. Mazar and colleagues, as well as the efforts of the Israel Antiquities Authority and the City of David Foundation, visitors to ancient Jerusalem can now experience all this biblical history and much, much more!

As part of its mission to share ancient Jerusalem’s biblical history, the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology provides personal tours of the City of David and the Ophel.

Your tour will be led by either Brent Nagtegaal or Christopher Eames. Both men live with their families in Jerusalem and worked extensively with Dr. Eilat Mazar from 2006 until her death in May 2021. The standard tour takes roughly three hours. However, the tour can be tailored to meet specific needs, interests or time constraints.

The tour starts on the Ophel, or what Dr. Mazar liked to call “King Solomon’s royal quarter.” Here, you will walk through a massive gatehouse and by walls constructed during the reign of King Solomon, and visit the exact location where the personal seals of King Hezekiah and Isaiah were discovered.

From the Ophel, you will take the short walk to the City of David. Here, the tour guides will show you the colossal ruins of the Large Stone Structure and explain the science that led Dr. Mazar and others to conclude that these are the ancient foundations of King David’s palace. In the City of David, you will also see the impressive Stepped Stone Structure, the location of Nehemiah’s hastily constructed wall (Nehemiah 6), and the exact location where the bullae of the Judean princes responsible for imprisoning the Prophet Jeremiah were found (Jeremiah 38).

Finally, the tour will end with a visit to the Gihon Spring, Jerusalem’s only perennial water source. Hidden by fortification structures constructed during the time of Abraham, this natural spring is one of Jerusalem’s greatest attractions. From the Gihon, you can choose to walk through the 2,700-year-old water tunnel built by King Hezekiah while under threat from Assyria’s King Sennacherib.

If you want to see how the modern science of archaeology is bringing to life biblical history, don’t miss our tour.

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Reviews

June, 2023—This tour turned out to be a major highlight of my trip to Jerusalem. Mr. Nagtegaal’s extensive knowledge of this area, bolstered by his literal hands-on experience, proved fascinating at every turn. As a bonus, I'm grateful that he gently nudged me to walk Hezekiah’s water tunnel. Others in the tunnel would have missed key details from Brent that brought the tunnel creation and Assyrian siege to life for me.

Texas, United States

April, 2023—Our guided tour of the Ophel and the City of David archaeological sites was a wonderful experience. Our tour guide, Brent’s, knowledge of the archaeology was impressive and his enthusiasm for his subject was infectious. He went above and beyond our expectations. Highly recommended tour!

Vancouver, Canada

April, 2023—I have been a tour guide in Israel for nearly 30 years, yet I needed to update my knowledge of the recent discoveries. I watched Brent Nagtegaal’s YouTube videos and was impressed with his excellent knowledge. His experience supervising some of the Ophel archaeological digs and his close relationship with Dr. Eilat Mazar made him the perfect teacher I needed. I would highly recommend him to any group wanting to find the best possible guide for a tour of the City of David and the Ophel.

The tour Brent gave us included the Ophel, City of David, and Nehemiah’s tunnel. It was the highlight of our stay in Israel. It is a completely unique and extraordinary experience to be toured by someone that has worked so closely with Dr. Eilat Mazar to excavate sites that we were walking through. His first hand experience, in-depth research and passion for Jerusalem’s history brought ancient Jerusalem to life.

Stratford-Upon-Avon, United Kingdom

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the Ophel and City of David. The tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. He was personally involved in archaeological digs at these sites, which really came through in the detail and enthusiasm of the tour. For example, he was able to point out the exact location where certain artefacts that gained international acclaim were found, which gave more life to the tour.

Great Alne, United Kingdom

5 out of 5 stars! We highly recommend! The tour was both very informative. It’s literally a “touch and walk through the pages of the bible” experience. Thanks to our very well-informed, friendly and articulate tour guide, who made this breathtaking tour possible. Also, worth mentioning are the shops at the City of David if you want to buy some souvenirs.

Angeles City, Philippines

We had the wonderful pleasure of visiting several major excavation sites in the heart of Jerusalem. Seeing sections of Nehemiah’s Wall and David’s Palace first-hand is both breathtaking and exciting. Walking through Hezekiah’s tunnel is unforgettable. These experiences help make the Bible come alive for sure!

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Our ancient Jerusalem tour in October 2019 of the Ophel excavations, the City of David, King David’s Palace, the Gihon Spring, Hezekiah’s Tunnel and finishing at the Pool of Siloam was the most deeply extraordinary experience that we will never forget. Brent’s commentary, based on many years of experience of excavating these areas and researching all the historical data was so compelling, that we had three additional people request to join our group, as we were going.

Perth, Western Australia