Caesarea and Acre: Two Ancient Capitals of Palestine
Description:
We will begin our journey with Caesarea. The city built by King Herod, the city-dream, the city-port, the city-legend.
Herod was not only a great tyrant, but also a great economist. In the heart of the then civilized world, he builds the largest and most powerful port, and this port brings fabulous revenues to the treasury.
In Caesarea we will get acquainted with the buildings of the Herodian era and later: we will see the ancient theater (mainly restored), walk along the hippodrome, which has been perfectly preserved since then, see the foundations of the palaces of Herod and Pontius and through the gates of the Crusaders we will go to the Byzantine street Cardo. This is such a heap of epochs, peoples and cultures.
When we say goodbye to Caesarea, we begin moving north. Acre. The Crusader capital of the thirteenth century.
If Caesarea is a city of legend, Acre is a city of mystery. We don’t even know why or what language it is called. Acre is probably about five thousand years old. And although such ancient artifacts have not survived, eight hundred-year-olds – as many as you like.
We will visit the halls of the Crusaders. Acre is the largest surviving Crusader city in the world. We will see ancient knight complexes, underground passages, a stunning dining room and even an ancient ... latrines.
Once on the surface, we will visit the former Turkish Hamam (now a museum), where we will hear an amazing story about the history of Acre and the cruel ruler of this city, Ahmad el-Jazar; almost everything we see on the surface of the earth – inns, mosques, hammam and even a prison – built by him.
Napoleon did not take Acre, and Richard Plantagenet received his nickname “The Lionheart” here.
Having completed our walk through ancient Acre by the ancient lighthouse, we will move to an object much newer, but no less unique - the Tunisian synagogue, decorated on all its floors from floor to ceiling with amazing mosaic panels depicting the history of the Jewish people from Abraham to the present day. And this is where we finish our route.