Archaeologists believe they have unearthed the ancient remains of the Greek fortress of Acra.

The discovery solves one of the city’s “greatest archaeological mysteries,” the Israel Antiquities Authority said Tuesday. The 2,000-year-old remains were found under a parking lot in the City of David in the Jerusalem Walls National Park.

For the past 100 years, archaeologists have puzzled over the location of the ancient fortress, which was used by Antiochus IV Epiphanes to monitor activity on Template Mount and subdue the Jewish population.

Through the years, numerous theories on the location have been put forth, though the scarcity of archaeological remnants linked to Greek presence in the city has caused the location to remain a mystery until now, according to Israel Antiquities Authority.

Historical documents reveal that Jerusalem’s residents suffered greatly “at the hands of Acra’s inhabitants” and the fortification “withstood all attempts at conquering it” until 141 B.C. when it was captured by the Hasmoneans, according to the statement.

The excavation directors, Doron Ben-Ami, Yana Tchekhanovets and Salome Cohen, said the discovery allows archaeologists to reconstruct the layout of the city.

“This stronghold controlled all means of approach to the Temple atop the Temple Mount, and cut the Temple off from the southern parts of the city,” the directors said in a statement.

The archaeologists found numerous coins and large jars of wine that were imported from the Aegean region. The artifacts “provide evidence” of the “non-Jewish identity of [Acra’s] inhabitants,” according to the statement.

The parking lot excavation has been going on for a decade, the Israel Antiquities Authority said, and is open to the public.

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