Castles, Ruins, And Wonders of the Israeli North
By Hadley Kauvar
Restoration work began on Castellum Regis (King’s Castle), the crumbling Crusader castle in the center of town, five years ago. Even in its current ruinous state, it remains an impressive sight. Three of the square fortress’s walls and towers remain, dominating the old core of the town. The restaurant just outside the walls is built over the largest Crusader-era winery ever discovered, and it is visible through windows set in the floor. Down the road in the Arraf family home, for a token fee visitors can have a look at the Byzantine church mosaics found in the family’s basement during a construction project.
The place I am describing is not a famous Israeli tourist destination, but a small Arab Christian village in Northern Israel named Mi’ilya. While not widely known, it is emblematic of the rich history of the Land of Israel, which over the course of its history has been ruled by over 20 different kingdoms, dynasties, caliphates and empires. As a life-long lover of all things historical and a Medieval & Renaissance Studies major, I’ve made it my mission over the past few years to visit as many castles, ruins and ancient piles of rocks as possible whenever in Israel.
A far more famous destination for those looking for a dose of premodernity is the Old City of Akko (Acre), one of my favorite places in all of Israel. It is one of the oldest port cities in the world, earning it a designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Like almost all historical sites in Israel, it is layered with the history of its numerous rulers. The Old City is surrounded by walls built by the Ottoman governors Zahir al-Umar and Jazzar Pasha over the ruins of those built by the Crusaders, who had moved their capital to the city after Jerusalem fell to Saladin in 1187. Similarly, near the landward wall is a towering fortress complex built by the Ottomans on top of the castle of the Knights Hospitaller, a monastic order of warrior-monks. However, the subterranean halls of the Crusader castle were preserved and are now the famous Knight’s Halls museum. Above the Medieval halls sits the Underground Prisoners Museum, dedicated to the Jewish resistance fighters imprisoned there by the British during the Mandate period. This is also a site of pilgrimage for the Baha’i, as the founder of their faith was imprisoned in the fortress. In the sprawling Old City market, you can buy anything from souvenirs, spices, freshly caught fish, or baklava. Also found within this market is Hummus Said, reportedly the best hummus in all of Israel (and I am inclined to agree). Walking along the city walls offers a nice respite from the crowded alleyways of the city below. Acre is literally layered in history, and it is one of the most fascinating places I have ever had the privilege of visiting.
Another famous Crusader site is Montfort Castle, located in the Nahal Kziv nature reserve, nestled amongst the rolling hills and lush forests of the Galilee. This castle was built in 1228 as the administrative headquarters of the Teutonic Knights. Despite being the headquarters of a monastic order, the knights lived in luxury. The furnishings were gilded, the windows stained glass, the walls covered in frescoes. Board games have even been discovered in the ruins. After the Teutonics resisted an attempt to take the castle in 1266, the castle fell and was destroyed by the Mamluks in 1271. However, large portions of the walls and towers are still standing, which along with the view of the surrounding landscape are enough to make the uphill hike worth it.
The Golan Heights are home to the largest Medieval castle in Israel, the Nimrod Fortress. It was built on top of preexisting Ancient Greek and Byzantine fortifications overlooking the valley that separates Mount Hermon from the rest of the Golan by the Ayyubids to defend the road to Damascus. The castle was subsequently expanded by the Mamluks, covering the entire mountain ridge. Following the fall of Akko to the Muslims, the fortress lost its strategic value, but the Ottomans used it as a luxury prison for nobility after they conquered the area. The fortress was finally abandoned after an earthquake in 1759 and is now a national park. Even as a shell of its former self, the fortress remains a sight to behold.
For those who think that even the Middle Ages are too modern and wish to see something from an even earlier time period, Sepphoris (Tzippori) National Park is the place for you. The former seat of the Sanhedrin (the ancient assembly of Rabbis) contains dozens of spectacularly preserved Roman mosaics. Within what used to be a Roman villa one can find mosaics featuring the Greek gods Dionysus, Pan and Hercules. Inside the ancient synagogue is a massive Zodiac wheel mosaic, of which there seven still extant (four others are in Israel and two in the West Bank). Other attractions at the park include a Roman amphitheater and a small Crusader tower.
If you’re interested in history, religion, or Middle Eastern desserts, it is worth visiting Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel. The city is the site of Christian miracle of the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to the son of God, Jesus Christ. Appropriately, the city is home to two Churches of the Annunciation, one Catholic and the other Greek Orthodox. The Catholic church is the largest Catholic church in the Middle East, and the structure contains Roman ruins believed to be Mary’s home. Other important sites include Mary’s Well, where the angel supposedly appeared to Mary, and the Synagogue Church, which is believed to be the site of the synagogue Jesus attended in his youth. Much like Akko, the sprawling Old City market is home to a bevy of souvenirs, and Dewan al-Saraya, a hybrid restaurant/informal ethnographic museum. The specialty of the restaurant, whose walls are adorned with the owner’s collection of antiques, is qatayef, a delicious dumpling/pancake hybrid filled with nuts or cheese. Snacking on these and visiting religious sites is a day well spent, at least for me.
Another important Christian site whose quality I can vouch for is the Church of the Multiplication, which is located near Tiberias by the shore of the Kinneret. It is built on the site where according to the New Testament, Jesus was able to multiply five loaves of bread and two fish into enough food to feed thousands. Destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, the present structure was built in 1932 along the original layout of its ancient predecessor, and possesses an austere beauty. Fortunately, the stunning fifth-century mosaics have remained in good condition. Many of them depict birds, with pigeons, herons, and peacocks all wrought in vivid detail. One particularly famous mosaic features a loaf of bread flanked by two fish, an image that has become a staple of souvenir shops in Israel. Whether you believe it happened or not, visiting the place a miracle purportedly happened is a fascinating experience, especially when it’s as beautiful as this one.
If you are a fan of historical sites and find yourself in Northern Israel with time to kill, I highly recommend visiting any one of these sites. The cultural and religious significance etched into every brick of the structures listed makes seeing them in person an indescribable experience. The snacks you can find along the way certainly don’t hurt, either, and neither do the impeccable views.
