The Ancient Hezekiah Pool (First Cent AD?)-view from the Citadel. See the open area between the buildings which used to be the Hezekiah Pool.

Don't confuse it with the Hezekiah Tunnel in the City of David. The name, "Pool of Hezekiah," comes from a Christian tradition that it was made by King Hezekiah. "Hezekiah made a pool and a conduit and brought water into the city" (2 Kings 20: 20). In the middle ages, it supplied water to the baths near the Patriarch's Palace and is known therefore as the "Pool of the Patriarch's Bath". Some identify the pool with Amygdalon, mentioned by the first century historian Josephus. Amygdalon or the Almond Tree Pool, is where the 10th legion of Titus, raised a ridge during the siege of Jerusalem (70 AD).

Hezekiah Pool was supplied with water through a small aqueduct from a pool called the Birkat Mamilla. It seems that until last century, the pool was functioning and was used by the inhabitants. A painting from 1888 shows the pool full of clear water with the Holy Sepulchre Church at background. Today, it is a garbage dump for the locals living nearby and lies in a very pathetic situation . The pool is 240 ft long by 140 ft wide and has a capacity to hold 15 million liters of water! The bottom of the pool is covered by a thick deposit of dirt and vegetable mould.

The Hezekiah Pool is generally not open to the public. It can only be seen from the Phasael Tower of the Citadel of David or from the roof tops of either of the two modern Hotels near the the Jaffa Gate viz. Imperial and Petra. Despite its historic importance, the pool was never excavated. An attempt to do so in early 90s couldn't go further as the local Arab population raised objection for Jewish explorations to go on the area.