Just 58 km from
Tel Aviv is the Amazing city of
Ashkelon. Like so many other sites and cities in Israel, Ashkelon is built upon the ruins of past civilizations.
Ashkelon was one of the five Philistine cities – including Gath, Gaza, Ekron and Ashdod. It also played a role in Biblical History as the place where Delilah cut Samson's hair to weaken his strength.
Ashkelon was also a large trading center as it lay along the Via Maris, the route linking Egypt with Syria and Mesopotamia. Today the city is developed and is known as a main
tourist attraction in Israel, there are many interesting things to see and explore in
Ashkelon. In this page you wiil find our offers for
available hotels in Ashkelon and some useful information about Ashkelon and its surroundings.
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History of Ashkelon :
The City was first settled at the end of the 3rd millennium BCE. It was conquered by the Philistines in the second half of the 12th century. After the Israelite conquest of the rest of the area, the two nations engaged in several hundred years of conflict. Even after David defeated the Philistines in much of the country, he could not remove them from Ashkelon. This was finally accomplished by the Assyrian Tiglath-Pileser III in 734 BCE. After approximately 600 years in the region, the Philistines disappeared. The City passed through the hands of the region's subsequent invaders. After the Jews, under the leadership of the Maccabeans overthrew the Greeks in the 2nd century, Ashkelon became a self governing city.
It is believed that Ashkelon was the birthplace of Herod in 37 BCE who enlarged and beautified the city constructing palaces and an aqueduct. Under the Romans, Ashkelon was also granted the rare privilege of being exempt from taxes. The city became Christian in the Byzantine period and was captured by the Muslims in 638 CE. The Crusaders captured Ashkelon in 1153 by Saladin. Richard the Lionheart led the Crusaders back, but they were eventually driven out in 1280 by Sultan Baybars. The city was abandoned till 1938 till the Jews of the new State of Israel began to rebuild it.
What to See in Ashkelon :
The National Park: This is the site of the ancient city of Ashkelon and is located on the southern coast of modern Ashkelon. From the entrance, the road passes through the 12th century Crusader City Walls and the Canaanite earth ramparts. There are several ongoing excavation sites near the sea, which reveal the city's biblical roots. One of the most fascinating parts of the Park is the sculpture garden, in which many Roman statues stand. There are also several ruins of Byzantine and Crusader churches nestled within the Park.
Kibbutz Yad Mordechai – was founded in 1943 and is situated just south of Ashkelon. The kibbutz is named