The valley of Hinnom, which lies to the South of mount Zion, separates the old neighborhoods of Jerusalem from the modern. This peaceful green area view, however, the story she's bad.

The full name of the area – the valley of the son of Hinnom. About Enome and his sons is not known, one can only assume that the person had left the children in the inheritance of the local fertile land. They were used for another purpose. It is believed that there are followers of pagan cults were sacrificed to the gods of their children, burning them alive. In the Book of the prophet Jeremiah are eloquent and dramatic words of the Lord: "...they have forsaken Me, and a stranger made this place and on it. other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah; he filled this place with the blood of the innocent and have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, and that the idea never occurred to Me" (jer 19:4-5).

The word "Gehenna" as a symbol of hell. In another version of the word arose from the fact that in Roman times there was a city dump, which constantly burned debris and the corpses of executed criminals and dead animals. During the excavations have not found evidence in favor of any of these versions. But, whatever it was, that the valley of Hinnom became the prototype of the hell fire, which in the New Testament times Jesus said, warning of retribution for sins. "It is better for thee with one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire" (Matt 18:9).

Moreover, it is believed that here the chief priests bought the land ("the Potter's field") to those same thirty pieces of silver that gave them back the repentant Judas Iscariot.

The grim history of the valley does not prevent the inhabitants of Jerusalem and tourists to enjoy walks in the picturesque countryside. Normally descend to the lowlands in the Northern part, near the Pool of the Sultan. Upstairs the hotel remains "Mount Zion" with the cable car Museum – the rope coming out of the Windows of the Museum, goes through the whole valley. More recently, a slope covered with cyclamen, used for climbing, but now extreme sports are banned here. And without that there's plenty to see blooming groves on terraces, ruins of ancient cemeteries (including Karaites and the crusaders). In the Eastern end of the valley is the Greek Orthodox monastery of St. Onuphrius, dedicated to the famous Egyptian hermit. And next to the monastery is the pool of Siloam – excavated by archaeologists in the ruins of the Second Temple period. Apparently, that's where Jesus sent the healed Them blind: "And said unto him, go, wash in the pool of Siloam means sent). He went and washed, and came seeing" (John 9:7).