Castles and fortifications in Israel
Tower of David
The Tower of David is an ancient citadel located near the Jaffa Gate entrance to western edge of the Old City of Jerusalem. The citadel that stands today dates to the Mamluk and Ottoman periods. It was built on the site of an earlier ancient fortification of the Hasmonean, Herodian-era, Byzantine and Early Muslim periods, after being destroyed repeatedly during the last decades of Crusader presence in t ...
Founded: c. 700 BC |
Location:
Jerusalem, Israel
Hospitaller Commandery of Saint-Jean-d'Acre
The commandery of Saint-Jean-d"Acre is a monumental complex founded by the Hospitallers. From the first years of the establishment of the Crusaders in the city, the Hospitallers received donated properties. In 1110, King Baldwin granted the permission to them to keep the buildings located to the north of the Sainte-Croix church. In the years 1130, the buildings were damaged during works near the church and the Hospit ...
Founded: 1110 |
Location:
Acre, Israel
Jerusalem Ramparts Walk
The current walls around the Old City of Jerusalem were built in the 16th century. However several earlier structures existed, and the remnants of these were incorporated into the new walls. Today tourists can walk around most of the ramparts (excluding the part that passes the Golden Gate); entrance is at the Jaffa Gate.
Founded: Mostly 16th century |
Location:
Jerusalem, Israel
Knights' Halls
The Crusader structures called the Knights" Halls or the Citadel of Acre originally served as the Knights Hospitaller Compound. They extend over an area of c. 8,300 square meters. Archeological remains from the Hellenistic Period (300-63 BC), from the Early Arab Period (638-1099 CE), to a large extent from the Crusader Period (1291-1104 CE) and primarily from the 13th century, were uncovered in the compound area. I ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Acre, Israel
Damascus Gate
Damascus Gate is one of the main entrances to the Old City of Jerusalem. It is located in the wall on the city"s northwest side where the highway leads out to Nablus, and from there, in times past, to the capital of Syria, Damascus. In its current form, the gate was built in 1537 under the rule of Suleiman the Magnificent, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Beneath the current gate, the remains of an earli ...
Founded: 100-200 CE |
Location:
Jerusalem, Israel
Golden Gate
The Golden Gate, as it is called in Christian literature, is the only eastern gate of the Temple Mount and one of only two that used to offer access into the city from that side. It has been walled up since medieval times. The date of its construction is disputed and no archaeological work is allowed at the gatehouse, but opinions are shared between a late Byzantine and an early Umayyad date. The Hebrew name of th ...
Founded: 520 CE |
Location:
Jerusalem, Israel
Tower of Flies
The Tower of Flies was a formidable guard tower/fort at the medieval city-port of Acre, which overlooked the harbour from a small island and protected the city’s rich maritime trade. It also served as a lighthouse. Its precise origins are unknown, but it is an ancient structure, most likely built in Phoenician times. It was the Crusaders of Europe that redeveloped the tower to the height of its prowess during a re-fort ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Acre, Israel
Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings
Photo from Flickr, copyright klasuli-fototechnik
Historic Site of the week
Krickenbeck Castle
Krickenbeck moated castle is one of the oldest on the lower Rhine. Its history dates back to the year 1104, when the castle was first mentioned. It is unclear why the old castle, which was certainly inhabited by Count Reginar, was abandoned or destroyed. In the mid-13th century the castle was moved to the current location. At the end of the 14th century the new castle belonged to the Counts of Kleve.
Johann Friedrich II of Schesaberg converted the castle into a Baroque mansion between 1708-1721. On September 7, 1902, a fire destroyed the entire mansion. From 1903 to 1904, a three-winged castle was built in the Neo-Renaissance style. Today Krickenbeck is a conference center.