Jericho is also called the City of Palms and spreads out on the west side of the Jordan River. It is one of the oldest cities in the world and is 800 feet below sea level. 

The Mount of Temptation or “Mons Quarantana” means – 40 days. The Greek monastery carved out of the mountain-side is located half way up the mountain side. The Mount of Temptation is where Jesus fasted forty days to resist the devil.

Mark 1:12-13 Immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness.  He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving him.

Located in Jericho is Tel es-Sultan.  Here you will find the remains of an 8000B.C. settlement. In 3000 B.C. Jericho was an important Canaanite town. After being encircled by Joshua, it fell to the blast of the priest’s trumpets in about 1250B.C.  After the destruction of Jericho, Joshua had forbidden the rebuilding of the city. However in the nineth century B.C. in 1 Kings 16:34, Hiel of Bethel built Jericho at the cost of both his firstborn and his youngest son according to the Word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua. 

To the right is a picture of  a Neolithic tower dating to about 7000B.C. 

Herod leased the city from Mark Anthony. Herod enlarged it and built a winter palace some distance from ancient Jericho. It was built on higher ground and overlooked the Dead Sea. This is known as the New Testament Jericho.

In the background is the Mount of Temptation. 

The Sycamore tree of the New Testament Jericho is estimated to be about 2000 years old. It’s history goes back to the time of the visit of Jesus to Jericho on His way to Jerusalem. The Sycamore tree is the tree that Zacchaeus climbed to catch a glimpse of Jesus.