What to see in Israel

We have already told you about the most beautiful natural attractions in Israel. Of course, not everything. There is still a lot to tell about. But in this article, we will draw your attention to the historical, architectural and holy places that you must see if you come to Israel. It can’t be done in a couple of days. So get ready to take a walk here longer.

MASADA FORTRESS

When you hear the word ‘’fortress’’ it sounds similar to walls, towers, loopholes, etc . It’s not like that here. Firstly, this fortress is located on a tall mountain (450 meters above sea level), so the desert near the Dead Sea. It just grows out of the mountain. Why exactly at this place people gathered, completely incomprehensible thinking. But Herod, who built the fortress, wanted to live in safety! Nowadays people get there by a cable car, but how they rise to the defenders of the fortress 2000 years ago is not very clear. We are no longer talking about the attacking enemies. The initially mysterious staircase is a path. Heroically inclined civil cycles rise along it. The rise should be started later than 4 o’clock in the morning, otherwise you can not go out into the territory in the sun. Not everyone will decide on this.

The remains of the fortress walls and buildings occupy a huge space, there is a small city up there. There are even “ruins” of a synagogue and a guest palace. When the Roman emperor Tiberius came to visit Herod the Great, he lived in this palace. The fortress had its own water supply system, Roman baths, food and weapons supplies, and royal gold was stored there. Herod the Great, who suffered from infection mania, settled his family in Masada, and then, suspecting everyone of treason, he himself killed them there. Remained from a long family of two sons who are present outside the fortress.

In the late 60s – early 70s of our era, when the uprising against the Romans turned into a long Jewish war, after the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans, Masada remained in some places the stronghold of the rebels and held out for another three years. When there was no way to hold on, the leader of the rebels, Elazar ben Yair, made a speech where he reminded everyone that it was better to die free than to be slaves. After that, the men then killed their wives and children, and, by lot, each other. By Josephus Flavius, the whole trauma of two women who, hiding in a cave, survived this nightmare. In the excavations, tablets of the same lot were found. In general, the place is not the most fun, but, honestly, it is very beautiful, the views are simply mesmerizing. The fortress is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

JAFFA

Currently, this is the area of Tel Aviv, from which, in fact, Tel Aviv began. But the heart of Jaffa is the old city near the ancient port. It is the oldest port in Israel and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities. Excavations show that the first fortifications on Jaffa Hill were as early as the 111th century BC. The city was repeatedly destroyed, but like a Phoenix bird, it was reborn from the ashes. When you enter these narrow stairways, walk along these slabs, which are at least ten centuries old, that feeling of an old oriental fairy tale does not leave you. Windows with turquoise shutters, doors that look like carved mahogany cabinets, courtyards, nooks, balconies, flowers in pots, vases – on windows, balconies, roofs and walls, a palm tree growing on the roof of the lower tier, a hanging tree, a bridge of desires, streets – the signs of the Zodiac, the embassy of the Vatican, a Greek church, a mosque, antique and art shops, residential apartments – all this is ancient Jaffa!

And historians also write that it was here that Perseus saved Andromeda, it was from here that the prophet Jonah set off, there was a vision of the Apostle Peter and the resurrection of St. Tabitha. Jaffa survived the conquest by the Arabs, several crusades, even Napoleon managed to check in here. The port now has neither commercial nor strategic importance. There are pleasure yachts and boats. But this whole place breathes history… We recommend walking and looking slowly to get a taste of that and, now, this life, to be able to enjoy the architecture and antiquity.

CAESAREA

The city was named after the Roman Caesar (Caesar) Augustus. The city was named by Herod the Great when the Romans gave him possession of the lands lost by the Jews. This part of Judea became the Roman province of Palestine, and the city was renamed Caesarea Palestine. For many centuries there was a Christianization of the province, churches, monasteries, church schools were built. At the same time, Jews, Samaritans and, remaining in very small numbers, pagans lived there. But in 640 AD, the city was captured by the Muslim Arabs, and this was the end of the early Byzantine history of the city. In the 111th century, the fall of Caesarea began, and after its conquest by the Mamluk Turks in 1265, only ruins remained of the city.

In 1940, in the southern part of the ruins of Caesarea, the new Israelis organized kibbutz Sdot-Yam, and in 1977, the modern Israeli city of Caesarea began to be built on the northern side. Near the modern city, on the territory of ancient Caesarea, there is now a national park, where archaeological excavations are being carried out to this day, both on land and in the sea. Tourists definitely have something to see in the Caesarea National Park. The ruins of the “Palace on the Reef” – the magnificent palace of Herod, the oldest amphitheater in Israel from the time of Roman rule, the hippodrome of King Herod, a large artificial port, fragments of aqueducts, the ruins of a synagogue and a street of Roman statues, the ruins of a temple complex, in which the buildings of Byzantine, Roman, Arab periods and eras of the crusaders. And all this is crowned by a dedicatory plate with Pilate’s inscription to Emperor Tiberius.

The spaces under the stands at the stadium make a very strong impression when you understand the conditions in which the gladiators were waiting for their fate. And you also need to be prepared for the fact that under the arches, in other secluded places, bunches of bats hang. They squeal loudly and smell strongly. If you are going to Caesarea, it is better to do it with a guide and by car, because, firstly, to listen and see everything with a professional, to learn something new, and not just walk around with your mouth open, but, secondly, secondly, the place is hot and, practically, without a shadow, it’s hard to get and get out by yourself. And be sure to take plenty of water with you, however, as elsewhere in Israel.

CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER

Located in the Christian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem. The first temple on the site of the crucifixion, burial and Resurrection of Christ was built by Queen Elena in the fourth century. But then, either during the Arab conquest, or during the wars of the Crusades, the Temple was destroyed several times. Then the crusaders rebuilt the temple, then it collapsed during an earthquake, then, already in 1808, it burned down in a fire. And the restoration of the temple began again. Unfortunately, no builders and restorers managed to achieve the ancient grandeur that the temple had during the first construction. But, despite all the ups and downs, the Temple to this day remains the main place of pilgrimage for Christians around the world.

Unfortunately, the rulers of Christian churches cannot agree with each other, so the temple is divided between six denominations: Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Coptic, Syrian and Ethiopian. They serve services at different times within their boundaries, each responsible for their places in the Temple. On top of that, the keys to the doors of the temple have been kept in a Muslim family for many centuries, and the right to open the doors belongs to another Muslim family. We hope that someday the shrines will still unite imperfect people under one roof in peace and harmony.

WESTERN WALL (WAILING WALL)

This is part of the oldest wall left from the Second Temple, rebuilt by Herod the Great and destroyed by the Roman emperor Titus. The first Temple was built by King Solomon, the son of King David, and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. The Jews expect that when the third Temple is built, the Messiah will appear, and the Temple will become a place of peace and enlightenment for all people. From the holy books of Judaism, it is written that Shekhinah, that is, the Divine presence, never leaves the Wall, since this place is all that remains of the Second Temple. In Hebrew, the wall is called the “Western Wall ”, and the “wailing wall”, it was called by the Arabs, seeing that the Jews come here to pray and mourn the destruction of the Temple. Then this name passed into Russian and some European languages. While there is a tradition during prayer at the Wailing Wall to leave notes with requests to God. Thousands of notes lie in the cracks between the stones. Believers, tourists, distinguished guests visiting the Holy Land come to the wall. There are always a lot of people, especially on Jewish and Christian holidays, sometimes you have to wait for the opportunity to approach the Wall. Women go to the right half of the wall, men to the left. Before approaching the Wall, all men are given kippahs (headwear) free of charge. When leaving the square in front of the Wall, it is possible to wash your hands in special bowls with taps.

Both the first and the second Temples stood on the Temple Mount itself, and the appearance of the third Temple is also expected here. Once Herod leveled the mountain for the reconstruction of the second Temple, surrounded it with a retaining wall. The site of the Temple Mount from north to south is about 480 meters long, from east to west about 300 meters. The height above sea level is 740 m. The masonry in the remains of the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) is more than two thousand years old. To the left of the Western Wall there is an entrance to an ancient underground tunnel. It is now well lit and there are guided tours. The tunnel contains the remains of an ancient water supply system (canal and pools), a 517-ton stone of the Western Wall, and a cave synagogue. And from the second or fourth centuries, the labyrinths of Roman streets laid in the tunnel have been preserved. The feeling of antiquity does not leave everyone who enters this place.

AL-AQSA MOSQUE

Currently, the Temple Mount is the third most important Islamic shrine after Mecca and Medina. Al-Aqsa mosques and the Dome of the Rock are now located on the mountain. Al-Aqsa Mosque has a relatively small gray dome. But this is the rarest case when the dome is finished with lead plates. In addition to the dome, the mosque itself is an architectural masterpiece. Inside there are many columns connected by arches. The lower tiers of the walls are finished with white marble, the upper ones with mosaics. This mosque was built in 705 and is the third main place of worship for Muslims, after Mecca and Medina. The mosque was destroyed several times by earthquakes, but each time it was restored. In the mosque itself and on the territory adjacent to it, up to 400,000 believers can simultaneously accommodate for prayer

VIA DOLOROSA STREET

According to Christian tradition, Jesus Christ was led along this street two thousand years ago to the place of crucifixion on Mount Calvary. The street is located in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Way of the Cross runs along this street from the Roman fortress of Anthony, where once the fifth procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate, judged Jesus, to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The length of the street is 650 meters. It marked 9 stops of the terrible path. But tourists should understand that, of course, this is not the same street, not the same pavement slabs that Jesus walked on. Jerusalem, after the execution of Christ, was repeatedly destroyed during wars and raids, and was repeatedly rebuilt after earthquakes and fires. That is, this route has been established by the Catholic Church since about the 12th century and is partially recognized by the Orthodox Church.

Along the street are several churches and chapels built to commemorate the path of Christ. All of them belong to different denominations: the Russian Orthodox Church, the Jerusalem Orthodox Church, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Greek Catholic Church. But in any case, they all glorify the path of Christ and his sacrifice in the name of people.

We highly recommend visiting Jerusalem only with professional guides and drivers. First of all, because of security reasons – it is very easy to get lost in this city, and, secondly, so as not to really miss any historical details.

BASILICA OF THE ANNUNCIATION IN NAZARETH

This is a temple of stunning beauty and tenderness. From a distance, its external facade resembles the lace cover of the Virgin Mary. The interior decoration is also great. Interestingly, it is in this Temple, dedicated to the virgin – the mother of Jesus, that the traditions of different faiths are finally intertwined. At present, the Church is the main cathedral of the Nazareth metropolis, but at the same time, there are benches for worshipers in the temple, which, of course, is a tribute to the Catholic tradition. And the eastern tradition is supported by a balcony for praying women and children.

The center of the Temple is a well lined with marble – the source from which the Virgin Mary received the Good News from the Archangel Gabriel. Above the spring, in a carved, gilded iconostasis, is the miraculous icon of the Annunciation at the Well, made by Russian icon painters. By the way, a huge number of coins are piled at the source, left by pilgrims and tourists who dream of returning here again.

The temple is located in Nazareth, on Anim-Kardosh street, 2. The history of the temple, as always, is not simple. The first temple around the well was built in the 6th century, but was destroyed by the Arab conquerors. Then the crusaders rebuilt the church, but already in 1263 the temple was again destroyed. Now we see the third temple, which was built in the 18th century by the Greek Orthodox Church. The Russian Orthodox Palestinian Society helped raise money for the church and donated necessary and expensive church utensils and icons.

Nazareth itself, where the Church of the Annunciation is located, is a city in northern Israel, in Galilee. According to legend, Jesus spent his childhood here. Currently, 60% of the population is Muslim, and the remaining 30% are Christian Arabs. And at the same time, the city itself is one of the Christian shrines of the Middle East. The city is surrounded by the hills of the Lower Galilee, and 25 kilometers from it is Lake Kinneret or the Sea of Galilee. In the old city, the village of Nazareth was recreated, as it was in the time of Jesus, with ancient peasant tools, dwellings … And goats, sheep and other domestic animals freely roam the streets. We highly recommend traveling with children. You can get to Nazareth from Haifa by bus or minibus, but in general, from any city in Israel you can order a car with a driver and go to this historical place.