We Like Filming in Jericho
Last week I went for a location scout in Jericho, which is located near the Jordan River, 16 km from the Dead Sea. This is an interesting filming location in Israel. It is one of the lowest and most ancient cities on earth and has famous, biblical roots. There is archaeological evidence of communities living in Jericho dating back to 9,000 CBE.
The first thing that came to mind during my visit was that Jericho is an ideal location for shooting feature films in Israel.
It’s an old town with a ‘deserty’ appearance and a very sleepy feel. Jericho provides an authentic ancient setting and visiting this historical site is like taking a step back in time.
During my visit I met the Mayor of Jericho and we discussed the potential for Jericho to be used by film crews. He expressed his desire to welcome film crews and for Jericho to be used as a prime film location in Israel.
We can handle all the permits that you need to film in Jericho and can make all the necessary arrangements for both international and Israeli crews to use this choice filming location.
Prime Filming Locations in Jericho
Jericho offers some unique scenes; dusty old roads, fields of banana trees, roadside shops, houses built on the mountainside, old cars and more. It is an ideal location suitable for any script requiring an old town in the Middle East.
From a documentary point of view, two locations are of particular interest, Mount Temptation and Hisham Palace.
Filming Mount Temptation
Mount Temptation rises 350 meters above sea level and provides spectacular views of the Jordan Valley. It is the place where Jesus was tempted by the devil and spent forty days and nights fasting and meditating. In the 6th century a Greek Orthodox monastery was built on the site of the cave where Jesus stayed during his time of fasting and contemplation.
Filming Hisham Palace
Hirsham’s Palace lies 5km north of Jericho and was built in AD743 as the country residence of the Umayyad caliph Hisham Ibn Abd Al-Malik, who ruled an empire spanning from the Pyrenees to India. The palace originally included mosques, baths, residential quarters and pillared walkways. Although now in ruins, colorful and ornate mosaics remain intact, as do classical ‘stucco’ wall moldings. These stunning pieces showcase early Islamic art and some findings are now housed in the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem.
We have shot in Jericho before and are familiar with the city. We filmed a music concert with a difference; it took place at sunrise on the balcony next to Mount Temptation. We came back with spectacular results.
For more information about using Jericho for your next production in Israel or to find out about specific filming locations in Jericho, get in touch with Biblical Productions and tap into our vast knowledge of the best film locations in Israel.
Uncategorized | admin March 14, 2010
