One of the names of the ancient city of Akko. Free walk through Old Acre

Thanks to or despite the numerous changes of cultures that dominated this territory, Acre is a unique historical heritage of Israel, combining the cultures of east and west, past and future. It is not surprising that Acre has always been the center of history, since it was located at the crossroads of trade routes and was considered an important strategic point for various military campaigns. Modern city Acre has grown far beyond the Old City. It is inhabited by Jews, Muslim Arabs, Christian Arabs, Druze, Armenians, Bahais, and all these peoples coexist peacefully in a small area.

Acre, as one of the ancient cities, is replete with numerous historical and cultural monuments of different times and the peoples who inhabited it. Thanks to such a rich history and attractions, it is considered one of the main tourist centers of the country. In 2001 he was awarded international organization UNESCO for the preservation of the world cultural heritage. Here is the only crusader city that has been completely preserved to this day.

The first mention of the city appears about 4,000 years ago, when it was under Egyptian rule. In the 4th century BC. Alexander the Great conquered the city and turned it into Greek colony. At this time it became a major port city and the most important in the colony. After the death of Alexander the Great, Acre repeatedly changed rulers and its name, which ultimately made it an independent Greek city. During the Roman era, Acre became part of the Roman Empire and played an important role for the Romans during the period of the Jewish Wars - the uprising of Jews for an independent state. Julius Caesar also came to Acre at one time.

During the Crusades, real battles broke out for this city, and Acre alternately passed into the hands of the Crusaders and Muslims. And in 1191, the city became the capital of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem after it was captured by troops under the command of the French and English kings Philip Augustus and Richard the Lionheart. Acre was renamed Saint-Jean d'Acre and surrounded by powerful walls, some of which have survived to this day. Numerous buildings erected by knightly orders also appeared: churches, monasteries, residential buildings, and administrative buildings. A 350 m long tunnel built by the Templars has survived to this day, connecting the Templar fortress and sea port. Of the military-religious orders, the Templars, Hospitallers, and the Teutonic Order lived in Acre. The ancient city in those days was also inhabited by merchants from Pisa, Genoa and Venice. At the same time, Acre also became the center of Jewish learning; the higher religious educational institution Yeshiva Rabbi Yehiel moved here from Paris with his students. However, the power of the crusaders in Acre did not last long; conflicts constantly broke out between representatives of different orders, which ultimately led to its fall. In 1291, the city was captured by the Mamluks - warriors of medieval Egypt. They massacred most of Acre's Christian and Jewish inhabitants and also destroyed churches and monasteries.

In 1517, Acre fell into the hands of the Ottoman Turks. Subsequent rulers, from 1750 to 1840, rebuilt the city and restored the fortress, taking into account its advantageous strategic position. All conditions were also created for Jews, French and Muslims to live here. In 1775, Ahmad Al-Jazzar became the ruler of Acre, and continued the restoration of the fortress, which withstood the siege of Napoleon's army. Under him, Acre became the main port of the Levantine coast, new mosques, a Turkish bath, a bazaar, and city walls were built, some of which still exist. One of the mosques is named Al-Jazzara and is the third most important mosque in Israel after Al-Aqsa and Qubbat Al-Sakhra, located in Jerusalem. For a long time, the Al-Jazzara Mosque was the largest and most important Muslim center. It was built on the remains of the Templar church in the likeness of Turkish mosques. Special specialists from Cyprus and Greece were invited for construction, and building materials, for example, granite, were brought from. The mosque building itself is white, for which it is also called the White Mosque. One of the Muslim shrines is kept here - three hairs from the beard of the Prophet Muhammad. Inns or khans have also survived to this day. The most famous of them is Khan Al-Umdan, built under Al-Jazzar. This is a two-story house with a large courtyard inside; the upper floor was used for living, and the lower floor, along which arches and columns were built, was used as warehouses. Later, a clock tower was built above the main entrance to the courtyard, which is its distinctive feature. Khan Al-Faranji is the oldest inn, but is still well preserved. The building was built by French merchants in the center of the Venetian quarter. Nowadays it houses a Franciscan school and a church. The remaining two inns of Khan A-Shuard and Khan A-Shun have been destroyed and are in an abandoned state. In the center of the Old Town there is a functioning Turkish Bazaar, where a variety of souvenirs are sold.

Since 1840, Acre was again transferred to the Turkish Sultan, during whose reign many walls ancient city were destroyed. In 1868, Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í faith, arrived in Acre to serve his prison term and lived here until his death, continuing to spread his teachings. His grave is located in the Baha'i Gardens near Acre. In addition to the tomb of the founder of the faith, the fortress of Acre, where Bahá'u'lláh was imprisoned, is also a place of pilgrimage for Baha'is.

Later with the advent railways, connecting Haifa and Damascus, Haifa began to rapidly develop as an important industrial and port city, and Acre gradually lost its strategic importance. During the First World War, the city was captured by the British army under the leadership of General Allenby. From then on, the British ruled it under the Palestine Mandate and turned Acre into administrative center north of the country, and a prison for Jewish political prisoners was created in a Turkish fortress. In 1948, Acre was captured by the Israeli army. After the war, the city increasingly began to expand beyond the walls of the fortress, and Old Acre turned into tourist centre Israel. Many historical monuments were discovered during excavations in our time, restored and opened to tourists. At the entrance to Old city you can see a map that will help you find objects of interest.

The city of Acre has experienced many ups and downs over its long history. Each era has left its traces here, marked itself and staked out its rightful place.

Considering the fact that time has only slightly “sprinkled” the evidence of several thousand years of Acre’s existence, perfectly preserving it to this day, answers to questions like: “where to go?” and “what to see?” — tourists find it very quickly. There are so many attractions here that even if you want to visit them all tourist routes, then you will have to spend at least a month on this!

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The city of Acre, as the ancient Ptolemais also called it, is located in Western Galilee, in northern Israel. Its age exceeds 5000 years. The city was built on the shore Mediterranean Sea and was a powerful, fighting fortress of the crusaders.

Not a single knightly city has survived to this day in such preservation. In 2001, UNESCO included Acre in its list of outstanding world values. Throughout the history of the city, many famous personalities have visited here: Julius Caesar, King David, Pharaoh Thutmose 3rd, Alexander the Great and the famous Venetian merchant Marco Polo. Acre turned into a real city during the Crusades...

The history of the appearance of the city goes back so far that it is not possible to discern its very origins. Imagine, Jews, Christians and Muslims are sure that:

it was in this place that the land (fields and pastures) was located, given by the Lord to the first man on Earth, Adam, after his expulsion from paradise;
The Flood “stopped” on the coast near Acre.

These two legendary facts would be more than enough to make this place attractive to tourists and pilgrims. But this is just the beginning. In 1104, the city was first besieged by knights heading to Jerusalem to liberate it from the infidels.

The city surrendered and remained under the rule of the Crusaders for almost 200 years. The knightly orders of the Hospitallers, Templars, and Teutons had their quarters here. A fortress built in the 13th century by the Order of the Hospitallers has been perfectly preserved here to this day. It had a meeting hall, a hospital and a refectory. Such a complex could accommodate up to 1000 knights.

The English king Richard the Lionheart, together with the French king Philip II, captured Acre during the third crusade. The city became the capital of the Crusaders. The population of the city exceeded 40 thousand people.

Dozens of churches were built here and trade flourished excellently. But at the end of the 13th century the city was destroyed by the Mamluks, and for many centuries it was simply covered with sand. Perhaps thanks to this, this luxurious, underground city, which archaeologists are still excavating to this day.

Deep under Acre, the crusaders created a system of underground passages for economic purposes, shelter and escape to the sea in case of war. At the end of the 90s, the Templar tunnel, 350 meters long, was excavated. It connects the refectory of the fortress with the seaport.

In the 16th century, the city was captured by the Ottoman Turks and again became an important port. At the end of the 18th century, the Turks strengthened the walls and erected several defensive structures. It served them well good benefit, when Napoleon approached the walls of the fortress, believing that it would not be difficult for him to capture Acre. But after two months of an unsuccessful siege, Napoleon was unable to take the city and retreated. The cannons that took part in that historical battle are still preserved here, on the fortress walls.

During the era of the Turks, Acre was decorated with new buildings - mosques, khans, baths. The famous Al Jazar Mosque, the third largest in Israel, was built here, several inns and clock tower. All this has been perfectly preserved to this day.

Port

With relative accuracy, we can only say that the city itself began as a port, built by the expansive and energetic Egyptians to export grain from the fertile Galilee.

Following the Egyptians, the Phoenicians came here, followed by the Greeks and Romans. Peoples and eras changed, but occupations remained the same. The harbor daily received and saw off ships with grain, fabrics, dishes, military equipment, soldiers: war and trade are eternal competitors at all times.

The harbor received a second life after stern knights appeared in these places, who arrived in Palestine in the 11th century to liberate the Holy Sepulcher. Then the city became a gateway for the flow of pilgrims and soldiers from Europe.

A modern tourist will need a good imagination to imagine all the ancient splendor of the port of Acre. The picturesque ruins on the shore of an ancient bay, carefully preserved for romantically inclined natures, date back to a later period. The atmosphere remained, and the sun and moon were still the same.

Nowadays, the port of Acre is a “modest” pier for small ships of rich guys. And the local yacht club offers wealthy tourists boat trips on modern yachts, excellent fishing, diving and much more.

Fortresses of the liberators of the Holy Sepulcher

For the Crusaders, the city of Acre was a strategic point. It was here that adventurers, and part-time brother knights and their numerous accompanying people, landed on the Holy Land. The surviving remains of once formidable and impregnable fortifications, monasteries, castles, underground passages and temples form an impressive complex, located mostly underground.

Hospitallers, Templars, Teutons - each order had its own quarter in the city. Walking through the dining and sleeping halls of the Hospitaller fortress, it is pleasant to realize that Francis of Assisi, Marco Polo, Richard the Lionheart and many others were guests here.

The underground tunnel of the mysterious Templars was discovered by accident: during road work, an excavator exposed brickwork, underneath which gaped emptiness. The passage connected the fortress with the port. The brave and greedy brother knights carried their countless treasures along this road; among the treasures, as they say, was the Holy Grail itself.

The modern tourist is amazed by the care with which all the medieval objects of the city are recreated, their accessibility and richness in the historical atmosphere. A journey through the dungeons of the city of Acre transports a tourist to the Middle Ages no worse than any time machine.

Unfortunately, not a single medieval church in the city has survived, but almost all Christian churches in Acre were built on the sites of ancient cathedrals. Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Greek Catholic denominations are represented in the city.

Muslim heritage

City wall

The city fortifications that can be seen around the old city today are the work of one self-confident sheikh, who wanted to create his own state, independent of the Ottomans, in the 18th century. The “project” of a sheikh named Dahar al-Omara did not last long.

The Ottomans did not tolerate the presumptuous nobleman under their noses for long and quickly restored the “status quo” of Galilee. But during the short period of his reign, Sheikh al-Omar managed to build a fortress wall in Acre, which protected the city from enemies for several more centuries. The fortifications were too tough even for Napoleon Bonaparte, and there was little that could deter this commander.

The second Muslim ruler of these places was Ahmet Pasha, nicknamed “the butcher.” This politician’s favorite pastime was cutting off body parts of his entourage. In his free time from his creepy hobby, Ahmet Pasha built a large mosque in Acre, luxurious baths, guest courts, and also further strengthened the city wall.

The Ahmet Pasha Mosque is considered not only one of the most beautiful in Israel, but also especially revered throughout the Islamic world. The main shrine of the mosque - a few hairs from the beard of the prophet himself - provides the city with a massive influx of Islamic pilgrims and tourists.

The building itself is a masterpiece of 18th century architecture. The interior of the mosque deserves special attention: wood carvings, Persian carpets, mosaics. In the courtyard you can see the tomb of Ahmet Pasha himself and his son. And under the foundation of the building there is a huge reservoir for fresh water, built by the Crusaders.

Bath

Hamam al-Basha is the name of this once very significant and elegant establishment. The old city in Acre is simply unthinkable without a hammam. This is not only a bathhouse, it was once a men's club, a meeting place for merchants and politicians. Today, here, in addition to mosaic floors, marble columns, swimming pools, paintings and fountains, every day you can plunge into the atmosphere of an oriental fairy tale. The fact is that audiovisual performances take place in the ancient bathhouse: pictures of the past are projected onto the walls and ceilings, voices, sounds, and laughter are heard. And the “highlight of the program” is a video presentation of a meeting of bath attendants from different eras. All together creates the effect of being in the distant past of the city.

Gostiny Dvors

At one time, Acre was a fairly rich city in Israel. Trading traditions here are ancient and strong. In the old city, four living courtyards - khans - are perfectly preserved. Some of them are restored, some are abandoned. But they are all equally interesting.

Khan A-Shaward was built through the efforts of the caring but unsuccessful Sheikh al-Omar. Other “hotels” appeared in the city later. Often these buildings were rebuilt on the site of medieval monasteries or knightly residences, so the interiors of the first floors are excellent examples of strict and elegant Gothic style.

Baha'i Gardens

Another historical place city, this is a prison, also built by the Turks. One of the most famous prisoners of this prison is the prophet Bahalla, one of the founders of the Bahai religion. On the grave of Bahalla, his followers built a temple and built beautiful Bahai Gardens. By the way, besides them, there is another one in Israel, not far from Acre, in the city of Haifa.

Without going into the religious specifics of the teachings of Baha'u'llah, anyone can visit the main shrine of the Baha'is all over the world, as well as the magnificent gardens that surround this shrine. Here olive trees coexist with cypress trees, and pomegranate alleys with citrus fruits.

A complex irrigation system and careful selection of plants in Bahai gardens ensure that they bloom all year round. Lovers of exotic things can attend a service in the temple, where every Bahai believer is simply obliged to come at least once in their life.

Museums

There are several in the city interesting museums, visiting which will not be boring or pointless. The most interesting of them:

The Okashi Art Museum is a collection of works by contemporary Israeli artists in the medieval interiors of the fortress of Acre.
The Underground Museum introduces visitors to the complex history of the struggle for Israeli independence. The exhibition is very modern and extraordinary. The museum halls themselves are located in the former prison tower of the city citadel.
The Ethnographic Museum is a rich collection of handicrafts created over the last millennium. A mixture of styles, traditions, cultures - so characteristic of the ancient city on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

Restaurants and gastronomic attractions

The Israelis themselves believe that the best hummus is made in Acre. The tradition of preparing this pea paste with spices and olive oil developed in these lands back in those distant times, when the mythical Hercules was looking for medicinal herbs here. Here you can try this local delicacy in any restaurant and cafe.

Another gastronomic hallmark of the city is dishes made from the freshest fish caught by local fishermen. Therefore, the most famous “nutritional” establishments in the city are fish ones.

The Uri Buri restaurant in Akko is known far beyond the borders of Israel. Crayfish neck soup, caviar on a slice of persimmon, spicy anchovies - to name a few popular dishes restaurant is very difficult.

Visitors to the Greek restaurant “Abu Cristo” appreciate the establishment for its excellent interior, good service and delicious cuisine. The establishment is positioned as a fish restaurant, but the meat dishes here are no less tasty. To all this, we can add that the portions in Israeli restaurants are large, and the prices, on the contrary, are low. Therefore, this city is a paradise for gluttons!

And of course, the impression of Acre will be incomplete without a walk through its streets, along the embankment, along the fishing pier. Fresh air is mixed with the aromas of the sea, spices and delicious fish from the neighboring restaurants for which the city is so famous. Fishing is still the main activity of local residents

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How to get to this miracle

The easiest way to get to Acre is from Haifa. You can go by bus, or by train. The train will cost a little more than the bus, but the trip itself will take no more than an hour.

Acre is considered one of the most ancient cities in the world. It is more than 4000 years old, and over the years it has survived a lot. Alexander the Great fought for it (and successfully), then the Egyptians, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Turks, British, and only in 1948 Acre became entirely the territory of Israel. Such a number of wars forced the construction of a powerful citadel around the city, which protected it and has been perfectly preserved to this day. The British once built a prison there, and today the main purpose of the fortress is that it offers magnificent views of the bay.

Today Acre is a small, bustling Arab city with narrow streets, ancient but well-preserved buildings, markets, an old port, fishmongers and the second largest mosque in the country (the first, of course, in Jerusalem).

How to get to Akko

By bus from Haifa (fare 16 ILS, travel time 35-45 minutes) and Nahariya (8.5 ILS, 10-15 minutes). Trains run from Haifa and Nahariya to Acre. The road from Haifa will take half an hour, the ticket price will be 16 ILS, from Nahariya it will only take 7 minutes and the ticket will cost 8.5 ILS. Train ride from Tel Aviv - 70 ILS, journey time 1 hour 45 minutes, from Ben Gurion Airport - 44 ILS, journey time two hours.

Prices on the page are as of November 2019.

Public transport in the city is provided by buses, you can also catch a taxi. It is easy to navigate the Old Town on foot.

Search for flights to Tel Aviv (the nearest airport to Acre)

Weather in Akko

Average monthly temperature, °C day and night, water

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Summers are long, warm and dry, and winters are quite mild. The greatest amount of precipitation occurs in December-February.

Shopping

The Market of Acre stretches along the main road of the Old City, Market Street, which dates back to Crusader times and crosses Acre from north to south. The market sells fish, vegetables, spices and oriental sweets, and is open throughout the week until 17:00.

The bazaars of the Old Town are of interest. Thus, the Turkish Bazaar, built at the end of the 18th century, is located in the central part, south of the Al-Jazzar Mosque. Nowadays there are tents at the bazaar selling souvenirs for tourists. The bazaar is open to visitors throughout the week until 18:00.

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Kitchen

At the old bazaar in Akko, you should definitely try hummus, which is a snack made from chickpea puree, and baklava.

Most restaurants, both expensive and not so expensive, are located along the beach. Hummus Said and Elias Dieb & Sons restaurants serve Middle Eastern cuisine.

Popular hotels in Acre

Entertainment and attractions in Akko

Among the attractions are the walls of Acre, built between 1750 and 1840, and surrounding the city from land and sea; Acre fortress, built in 1750 on the ruins of the Hospitaller monastery. In the fortress, one can especially highlight the dining hall, built presumably in 1147-1160, and underground tunnel, connecting the northern wall of the fortress with the port in the south.

Al-Jazzar Mosque, also known as the White Mosque, is one of the largest mosques in Israel, built in 1745 on the ruins of a Templar church.

In Akko, the structures of inns - khans - have been preserved. Khan Al-Umdan was built in 1784, Khan Al-Faranji is the most ancient khan that has survived to this day. And Khan A-Shuarda is in an abandoned state - now the khan’s building is given over to warehouses and garages, but on its territory the tower of the crusaders has been preserved in good condition.

One of the most beautiful attractions in Acre is the Turkish bath, Hamam Al-Basha, built during the Ottoman Empire.

In Acre there is a Templar tunnel, which was built at the end of the 12th century. and connected the Templar fortress, which has not survived to this day, and the seaport located in the east. The length of the tunnel is 350 m.

One of the most beautiful attractions of Acre is the Turkish bath, Hamam Al-Basha, built during the Ottoman Empire by order of Pasha al-Jazzar. To this day, the remains of a water pipeline built on the orders of Suleiman Pasha and stretching along the highway connecting Acre and Nahariya have been preserved. Outside the Old City is the most beautiful synagogue in Israel - Or HaTorah (Light of the Torah).

Maps of Acre

Events

Acre annually celebrates Sukkot or the “Feast of Tabernacles,” one of the main holidays of the Jewish people, when it is customary to live not at home, but in a sukkah (tent) and remember the wandering of Jews around Sinai desert. During Sukkot there is an alternative theater festival.

My husband and I came to Israel on our own from Prague on Wizzair; the tickets were inexpensive. We lived in the small town of Lod (one of the most ancient cities in the country; according to legend, St. George the Victorious was once buried in Lod, and a church was erected at the supposed burial site of the Saint), and it is located about 26 km. from Tel Aviv. A distant relative of my husband received us. She has a very small apartment, but she has dedicated her own bedroom. The living conditions were certainly not like in a hotel. We cooked and cleaned ourselves, but I was absolutely satisfied and very grateful to her teachings and the new knowledge I received.

Of course, we rented a car, but we went on excursions like ordinary tourists. I was very interested to learn more about the place that has existed since the creation of the world, because it was here that the entire history of mankind began. My husband had slightly different plans; he wanted to enjoy the sun and sea. Still, we visited several excursions together, and one of the most diverse and colorful excursions was a visit to Caesarea, Haifa with its amazing gardens and the Arab ancient city of Acre. It’s interesting that after the excursion you really want to return to these places, but only on your own. It’s very annoying to have limited time, to be in a hurry, and since I take a lot of photographs, I’m always lost and don’t listen to anything). But there are also advantages - it is very interesting and important information, first acquaintance with the place and organization. We went to the Dead Sea on our own, climbed the Ein Gedi nature reserve, visited (I highly recommend it as independent trip). Rest iconic places we visited along with a tour. But it’s still better to get guidebooks and visit everything on your own.

I didn’t really know anything about what Caesarea was, except that these were the ruins of a Roman city under open air on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

Let's delve into the history of the ancient city of Caesarea. Here in 586-332. n. e. there was a Phoenician settlement, chosen because of the presence of bays and small peninsulas where it was convenient for ships to moor. And then a city appeared between the mouths of the Crocodiles Creek and the Hadera River. In 103 AD e. this city, together with the surrounding lands, fell into the hands of Alexander Yannai and was annexed to Judea. Then it was recaptured by the Roman general Pompey, and at the next stage Octavian Augustus handed it over to King Herod. In 12 years, he rebuilt everything anew, according to the Roman model, and named Caesarea in honor of the patron saint of Caesar.

Herod the Great spared neither effort nor means to prove his loyalty to the emperor, and he appreciated this by making Caesarea the administrative center of the Roman prosecutor's office.

The splendor of the new city caught the eye of those approaching from the sea: marble-clad houses standing in a semicircle, a majestic temple with statues of Romulus and Caesar.

The port area, which together with all the internal harbors amounted to 90 thousand m, was made with such technical ingenuity that it still evokes the admiration of specialists. Scientists are still puzzling how Herod managed to deepen the seabed by 36 m.

As for the city's population, it was mixed. The bulk were Jews and Syrian Greeks, between whom conflicts constantly arose.

In 128, the city suffered from a strong earthquake, but was soon rebuilt and Jews flocked here again. Already in the 1st century. The first Christians appeared here: the Apostle Peter performed the first baptism of a pagan, the Roman legionnaire Cornelius.

In the III - IV centuries. here was one of the main church centers of Palestine with Christian schools that were famous throughout the world, and the library, where the early manuscripts of the Bible and the original version of the Gospel of Matthew were kept, numbered over 30 thousand volumes.

The city reached its greatest prosperity in the Byzantine era. And despite the conquests of the Arabs, the city managed to survive until the 13th century.

Further history takes us to the 13th century. during the time of Louis IX, when the city became a true fortress with a high, powerful wall, powerful towers and walls, along the entire length of which there were secret openings for access to the moat that surrounded the place.

By the way, about the crusaders, who plundered the city in full. Among other spoils that fell into their hands was a bowl cast from green glass. For some reason they decided that this was the Holy Grail, which the Apostle Philip once brought to Caesarea.

In 1291, after the fall of the city of Acre, which became the last stronghold of the crusaders, the Mamelukes, fearing the invasion of knights from the sea, completely destroyed Caesarea. Until recently, a thriving place turned into ruins. The port became shallow and covered in mud, the aqueducts dried up, and the gardens withered away. And ships with loot pulled out from the port. They didn’t drag anything! Even columns, statues, stone...

The city stood in ruins for several centuries. Only in late XIX V. The Turks restored the destroyed Crusader fortress, organized an administrative center in it and allocated land to Muslim refugees from Bosnia, who founded a settlement and took up agriculture and fishing. Somewhat later, part of the land was acquired by the Jewish Colonization Society.

On one of his visits to Eretz Israel, Baron Edmond Rothschild visited Caesarea and decided to revive its former beauty. “I want to buy these lands and build a Jewish Riviera on them,” he said and began to carry out his words. But I didn’t have time. His dream in the second half of the 20th century. The grandson began to implement it, proposing a program of excavations and restoration work.

Today, where the above events took place - National Park, whose territory extends from the Crusader city in the north to the Roman theater in the south.

Unfortunately, I have very few photographs from the ancient ruins of the city of Caesarea.

Let's start the journey with National Park. Let's enter here through the Crusader gate. On the eastern side there are high and powerful walls, which during the time of the Crusaders were surrounded by a deep ditch.

Fortress wall from the times of the Crusaders.

So, we are in a city of the 11th - 13th centuries. Part of the buildings that were repaired, restored and rented out to restaurateurs and owners of various shops.

Roman streets

The dominant feature of the city was Herod’s luxurious palace, which stood on a promontory protruding into the sea, and therefore the sea splashed near its walls on three sides.

In the western part of the palace there was a large swimming pool, which was used as the city's fish market during the Byzantine period. Once you strain your imagination, your nostrils will be hit by the incomparable “market” smell of fish, mixed with the smells of aromatic oils and spices sold right there.

The street is decorated with Roman columns and leads to a mound called the podium, where different temples stood at different times. Herod erected a sanctuary of Jupiter there, the Byzantines - an octagonal church, the Arabs rebuilt it into a mosque, which turned into a Cathedral St. Peter's, which collapsed due to poor planning.

To the south there is a Roman theater built on the model of a Greek one. The theater in Caesarea is the oldest discovered in Israel. Built during the time of Herod, it functioned for hundreds of years. The seats could accommodate approximately 4,000 spectators. Moreover, the first rows are intended for especially honorable citizens. This amphitheater, two-thirds of its length, “embraced” a semicircular platform on which the actors, choir and dancers were located.

IN different times the theater served different purposes. Thus, in the Byzantine period, the orchestra was turned into a swimming pool, where performances were given on the water. Often forbidden, for example, “water ballet” with the participation of naked nymphs.

Today the theater is used exclusively for cultural purposes; concerts and annual summer music festivals are held here.

Who can guess what this is?

Right! This is what remains of a Roman toilet, a week away from which there were Roman baths.

The hippodrome, which appeared in the 2nd century. It is the largest in the east (about 450 m long) and was famous for the competition of chariots and horsemen who drove around the metta columns and passed taraskippus (terrifying horses).

The restored hippodrome looks great. Various events are still held there.

Someone imagined himself as King Herod.

View of the former lighthouse. Now there is a restaurant there.

The excursion was very short. Afterwards we headed to the Interactive Museum, where you can travel back in time. In one of the halls there is a cinema hall, where every 15 minutes there is a film telling the history of the city in different languages. I was very impressed by this film about the history of Caesarea, and I was deeply immersed in its history, going back to 103 BC. e. during the time of King Herod and felt how he rebuilt the city according to the Roman model to prove his loyalty to the emperor.

It’s a shame that we didn’t even see 1/3 of the city, because once you get to Caesarea, you should definitely visit the interesting Rally Museum, which houses a collection of works visual arts famous collector Harry Recanati, who dedicated it to the memory of Jews expelled from Spain. Nearby is a building built in the style of a Spanish villa. Here you can see works of European and Latin American artists. The museum's exhibition is especially impressive with original items made by the hands of Salvador Dali, etc.

Sweets that we managed to buy along the way.

I love oriental sweets) I eat them on the way to Haifa.

For all the years of life

I'm so high

Didn't catch it.

Yuliy Kim.

Haifa is one of the three largest Israeli cities. Unusual, amazing. With ancient houses lined with white stone, darkened by time. Some of them are entwined with ivy and look very mysterious, so much so that you feel as if a curtain is opening slightly and an oriental beauty is peeking out from behind the lancet window.

Curving heavily, it climbs up the streets, often connected by steps of stairs, for the city is located on uneven terrain, descending from Mount Carmel to the sea.

The city, together with the country, went through many events, which naturally could not affect its appearance. And today here antiquity is combined with modernity, and the West with the East, and people of different religious denominations get along well with each other.

Haifa - Big city at the sights, and it is definitely worth seeing, but our excursion only included a viewing of the Bahai Gardens.

Our tour began from the middle terrace into the Bahai Gardens, in the center of which stands Bach's tomb.

We enter the gardens, which have recently been expanded.

Over the course of a kilometer, the famous architect Fariburz Sahba placed eighteen terraces (nine above the sanctuary, nine below it) ranging from 60 to 400 m wide with emerald lawns, along which the gurgling water runs, descending through grooves from the upper pool to the lower one.

The paradise that I saw cannot be expressed in words or photographs - for this you need to visit this fabulous a nice place, take a walk and enjoy all the plants, colors, landscapes...

There is not a single bench along the entire path. And for good reason. This is done so that the pilgrims slowly, non-stop rise from the bottom up.

In the very center stands the tomb of Bach - a snow-white building under a golden Byzantine dome, clearly visible from all over the city.

Warning: When entering the Bahai Gardens there is a mandatory rule - covered shoulders and knees, and it is very strict. I somehow tied a scarf on my knees, but it didn’t save me well, and I was kicked out every time my knee showed.

Entrance to the temple territory is strictly controlled - no bags or cameras. Having taken off our guard at the carved door, we will go into a large hall covered with carpets. There is no tombstone at the Bab's burial place. Only draperies, a mass of candles, lamps and a large chandelier playing with crystal pendants. No furniture, no decorations, no religious paraphernalia. Only sayings in elegant frames on the walls, and in the corners there are vases filled with pink petals, the aroma of which mixes with the smell of fresh flowers. All this creates an unusual atmosphere, and walking barefoot on the soft carpet, you involuntarily carry your thoughts far, far away, forgetting about the frailty of existence, and your soul is filled with peace.

Who are the Bahai Gardens named after? The man who called himself Bab Eladin, which translated means “the gate of religion,” introduced a number of progressive changes in the religious sphere. Declaring himself a prophet sent to prepare the coming of the Messiah, the Bab promised people the coming of God's day, the onset of an era that would transform all life.

Baba displeased the authorities and was imprisoned. Thanks to Baba's teachings, Baba came out of the dungeons and spread among the people. An uprising broke out and the authorities executed the Bab. But alas, they miscalculated badly. A new, stronger leader appeared - Mirza Hussein Ali, who took the name Baba-Ula (“Light of God”), who was not broken even by trials, but helped him to survive, receive revelation from Above, and also transform Bakhism from a sect into a world religion.

After his release, he found himself in Acre, a place of rotten swamps infested with malarial mosquitoes, where convicts were sent to certain death. But Baba Ula not only took root in these areas, but also managed to turn them into a blooming garden, called Bahaji (Baba's Garden). And this garden became his refuge, where he rested under the slabs of a later-built tomb.

Grapefruits, oh how I wanted to pick you)))

I am in heaven! I have seen many gardens, but this one is the most amazing, beautiful, with a huge variety of plants. The order there is perfect, and security is watching your every move.

Blooming toilet

Then we took a bus to the very top of Mount Carmel, from where the upper terrace of the garden opened up.

View of Ben Gurion Avenue

Time was very limited, and as always there was no time to stroll through the gardens. And, besides, a large number of tourists simply will not allow you to enjoy this paradise.

I will never forget this fabulous temple now,

Where all people live among themselves in constant harmony.

Christ, Mohammed and Buddha are equally revered there

And they don’t pray there, but plant trees in the garden.

Here those who enter are lovingly embraced by cool shadows,

Here, in the flower beds, there are sculptures of animals and birds.

The outlines of marvelous plants surround you,

That they know no boundaries, that they know no boundaries.

Ancient city Akko I purposefully planned to visit, expecting to see and feel the antiquity of its entire existence, but like all tourists, I was unpleasantly shocked by what I saw. The first thing that catches your eye is the Arabs, the dirt, noise, pungent smells, dirty coastline, what have they turned into an ancient city with such a rich history.

I think that the impression we got from the short overview of the city was completely wrong. After all, it really has something to see: the Okashi Museum, the city of the Crusaders, the fortress, the El Jazira Mosque, the Turkish bath, the El Ramel Mosque, the Ramhal Synagogue, Khan el-Franj, the lighthouse, the Church of St. John, the Maronite Church of St. Mary.

The history of Acre has continued without interruption for over 4,000 years. The name of the city (pronounced "Aku") was first found on shards of Egyptian pottery vessels (circa 1800 BC). And the first material document mentioning this place is a cuneiform letter on a clay tablet (XV century BC). During the era of the Kingdom of Israel, Acre belonged to the Phoenicians. Then the Assyrians and Persians ruled here. And in 332 BC. e. Alexander the Great appeared in these places. The city became part of the Greek Column. When Palestine came under the rule of the Egyptian kings from the Ptolemaic dynasty, Acre was renamed Ptolemyad.

Next page Acre - annexation in 52-54. BC e. to the Roman Empire through the efforts of Pompey. Julius Ezar turned the city into a major port.

With the advent of Christianity in Acre, a small Christian community was formed, which, according to the New Testament, was visited by the Apostle Paul.

The prosperity of this place ended with its conquest in 614. by the Persians and then by the Arabs. The city, again renamed and becoming Acre, was of little interest to anyone, and therefore was destroyed.

In the 11th century The crusaders came to Palestine and began vigorous activity, building churches and monasteries.

But in 1187, after the defeat of the crusaders by Saladin, Christians were expelled from Acre, and the city was overrun by Muslims.

However, in 1191, during the 3rd Crusade, a coalition appeared here, consisting of the French king Philip II Augustus, the Austrian Duke Leopold V and the English king Richard the Lionheart. Once again the pendulum swung towards the Europeans, who designated this place as their capital in Palestine. In honor of the numerous Hospitaller monks who served St. John of Jerusalem and who built inns and hospitals for pilgrims here, the city was named Saint-Jean d'Acre.

And this was no accident. In their concept, here was the center of the world, in which 3 continents meet - Europe, Asia and Africa. The point of contact is the Fly Tower, which even today sticks out of the sea like a black rock.

The knightly orders of the Hospitallers and Templars that settled here surrounded the city with a high stone wall with towers at the gates with the citadel. Having destroyed the mosque, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross was erected in its place. The city looked in the best traditions of medieval architecture, as described by the German priest Ludolf von Suchem in his “Description of the Holy Land”. He talks about multi-storey buildings, with glass windows, warehouses, hospitals, administrative buildings, more than 40 churches, 23 monasteries.

Add here the status of one of the oldest cities in the world, unique local flavor, proximity to Cote d'Azur Mediterranean Sea, and it becomes clear why Acre, among other cities, is chosen by thousands of tourists for their trip. Narrow streets, old markets, fishermen's shops and ancient fortresses. A holiday here can be equated to an exciting journey through time. With all this, the tourism infrastructure meets international standards, and the service is of a high level.

Acre: location and features

Acre is located in the northern district of Israel, in the western part of the Galilee. From the nearest large city, it is separated by 23 km. The population is multinational. Most of the residents of Akko are Jews, among whom there are many people from the Caucasus and immigrants from. About a quarter of the population is Muslim Arab, there are also Bedouin communities and very few Christian Arabs. Here you can hear speech in five languages: Arabic, English, Hebrew, Russian and French.

Acre is a city in Israel with a history of almost 4000 years. What has he not experienced over these millennia? At different times, Acre was conquered by the Phoenicians, Hittites, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, and British. Someone literally leveled the city, turning the great settlement into a run-down fishing village. Someone rebuilt fortresses on the site of the ruins and gave the city new names. Acre bore such names as Ptolemais, Umma, Saint-Jean d'Acre.

The main reason for such outside attention is the location of Acre (the proximity of strategically important sea routes, favorable climate and landscape). By the way, many prominent guests visited Acre in their time (Tsar David, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Pharaoh Thutmose III, Marco Polo).

At the beginning of the twentieth century, UNESCO added the ancient city of Acre to the World Heritage List.

Acre attractions

Acre is the only city of knightly times that has almost completely preserved its medieval appearance to this day. In addition, there are a huge number of attractions of the Ottoman period, religious monuments and unique natural sites.

You can often tell from photographs what city they were taken in. It's completely different here. In one walk you can do the following in Acre different photos that will seem to have been committed big Adventure across several cities. Azure Mediterranean beaches, ancient fortresses and knightly underground tunnels, incredibly beautiful paradise gardens and majestic religious buildings. You will find all this here. To plan the optimal route to the attractions that interest you most, you can use tourist card Akko.

So, what you can see in Akko:

A separate attraction of Acre is the local bazaars. The most famous of them are the Turkish Bazaar and the White Market (Al-Abyad).

Hotels in Akko

Many tourists come to Acre, some to swim in the sea, others to enjoy exciting excursions through the ancient streets. Therefore, in every part of the city there are several places where you can stay overnight: from cheap hostels to luxury hotels. The price for accommodation depends on the service and location of the hotel/apartment (on sea coast and near the main attractions it is naturally higher).

TOP premium accommodations in Acre:

Acre mid-range hotels:

At a fairly affordable price you can book the following options:

Apartment Acre Two Wells Zimmer;
Chalet Asbn Magic Garden;
guest house Nzar Khoury for Hosting.

There are also two hostels in Acre with a cozy modern environment and all the necessary amenities: Akko Gate And Akko Knights.

Things to do?

Of course, every tourist who comes to the city will definitely visit the beaches of Acre. The sandy shore line stretches along the bay. The most famous and well-equipped beaches are “Argaman” (paid for foreign tourists, entrance costs about 5 shekels) and “Tmarim” (belongs to the hotel; residents living elsewhere will also have to pay).

In addition to swimming in the sea, there are a lot of exciting things to do in Acre:

journey through the underground knightly tunnels;
shopping at local authentic bazaars;
fiacre ride;
visit to the Turkish hammam;
Boat trip.

Several interesting Israeli museums are also located in Acre: Okashi Art Museum, underground museum, ethnographical museum.

If you're lucky, you can get to the city's annual events: the Olive Festival, the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), and the alternative theater festival.

Restaurants and gastronomic attractions of Acre

Ask any Israeli: “Where is the best hummus made?”, and he will answer: “In Acre.” Here you can taste this spicy pea paste in any restaurant and cafe.

Acre is also famous for the extraordinary skill of local chefs in preparing fish dishes. For example, restaurant "Uri Buri" Akko is known throughout Israel. Here you can try a mind-blowing crayfish neck soup, delicious anchovies and the freshest caviar, which is usually served on persimmon slices.

Most cafes and restaurants are located along the beaches and in the Old Town. Tourists like to visit the following establishments:

It is worth noting that in the restaurants of Acre, as in all of Israel, there is enough large portions. Prices can be called moderate, significantly lower than in Tel Aviv or Eilat.

Weather in Akko

As you know, the weather in Israel, including Acre, is favorable for holidays all year round. The climate in the Mediterranean is moderately warm. Summer is usually drier than winter. The hottest month in Acre is August (average temperature +27°C). The coldest month is January (+13°C).

The water warms up to +23°C in summer; its temperature, even in winter, rarely drops below +17°C.

How to get there?

Acre can be reached from major cities Israel by several modes of transport:

by bus from (ticket price – 8.5 shekels) or (ticket price – 16 shekels);
by train from (ticket 41.5 shekels), (ticket 51.5 shekels), Haifa and Nahariya (prices are the same as for bus tickets);
by car (you should stay on highway No. 4, which runs along the entire coast).

The distance to Acre from Tel Aviv is 98 km, from Tel Aviv – 128 km.