© 2024 Jan Herca (text, licence Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0)
This is a collection of computer-generated recreations of Jerusalem and the Temple at the time of Jesus, arranged chronologically by publication date.
The company Shephirot created an interesting virtual reconstruction project of Jerusalem and the Second Temple a few years ago. They have a video that already showed a fair degree of realism at the time it was produced.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B37Mp6mhs3A
This 3D reconstruction was developed by the _UCLA Urban Simulation Team _at the request of the Israel Antiquities Authority and published in 2010. The Herodian version of this 3D model shows visitors what the excavators believed the site of the Temple Mount looked like before its destruction by Roman troops in 70 AD. The model focuses on the southern part of the compound and includes reconstructions of Robinson’s Arch (the ancient causeway connecting the top of the Temple Mount to the main street of the city below), the gates and passages off Huldah Street leading to the mount, the Royal Stoa, and the Second Temple. The reconstruction is based on excavations at the Temple Mount under the direction of Ronny Reich and regional archaeologist Gideon Avni. This video has been on display at the Jerusalem Archaeological Park of Jerusalem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHLD6RXVLaM
This incredible 3D model, developed by the Scripture Central and Messages of Christ team (Redeemer of Israel), led by Daniel Smith, and published in 2019-2024, shows what the Temple and city of Jerusalem may have looked like.
Based on extensive archaeological research, the author created a 3D model of the Temple and Jerusalem. Not only does the author’s project include this model of Jerusalem, but he also conducted studies of the Garden of Gethsemane, the tomb of Jesus, and other biblical scenes. The first video attached is a trailer. The second video is an extensive explanation of the level of detail and archaeological accuracy that went into this reconstruction. A third video is expected to be released at some point with a complete walkthrough of the entire scene created.
The Temple of Jerusalem in the time of Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQQyNVw8Pf4
The Temple of Jerusalem: Building the most detailed representation of Herod’s Temple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0yqZJBUEHk
This fabulous reconstruction work by Jeremy Park (bible-scenes.com/), is not only a detailed reconstruction of Jerusalem but also a magnificent effort to bring other biblical scenes from the past. Furthermore, it is an open-licensed project.
Using the book The Quest, by Leen Ritmeyer, as a basic guide to obtain the information, the author has made a highly realistic 3D model that has taken him two years of work. Once the model was developed, which covers not only the Temple precinct but also a good part of the city of Jerusalem, the author has created a collection of videos that allow you to tour each of the gates and notable monuments of the Second Temple. The first video summarizes the work done. The second attached video contains all the tours of the Temple, but compiled in a single video. The third is a virtual tour, in the style of a video game, that shows every detail of the created model.
3D Model of Herod’s Temple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUhxQjdviAw
Temple Mount — 3D Videos with Information
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-EdlbP2xvo
Jerusalem — Temple Mount — Virtual Tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPyE6BP_m8o
3D Warehouse is a service currently owned by Trimble that allows users to share 3D models with a community of users. The models can be viewed for free and, in many cases, downloaded.
This is a non-exhaustive list of 3D models related to the Second Temple of Jerusalem that I have found: