Ashkelon Travel

 

 

 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 after Mordechai Anilewicz, the leader of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.   A giant statue of him can be found in the Kibbutz as well as the Old Water Tower that was shelled by the Egyptians during the War of Independence.  The Kibbutz has a museum dedicated to the Ghetto fighters.  The Kibbutz has its own history as it was on the frontline during the War of Independence and was captured and destroyed by the Egyptians.   It was subsequently recaptured and rebuilt.   There is a Museum and battlefield exhibit dedicated to the memory of 23 members who died defending the Kibbutz.  Today, the Kibbutz is one of the largest producers in Israel of honey production.

Lachish - the town can be found 32 km east of Ashkelon and it may have first been inhabited 5000 years ago.   It is first mentioned in the Bible where Joshua killed all the people and hung its King.  King David developed the city and his grandson Rehobarn fortified it.  In the 6th century BCE the Babylonian conqueror Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city.   After the Babylonian exile, the Jews returned and rebuilt the city.   After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE the town was again abandoned and was never resettled.

Beit Guvrin – 38 km east of Ashkelon, the city was at the center of the largest region during the Roman occupation and was enlarged and fortified by the Roman Emperor Septimum Severus.   The Crusaders conquered the city and built a citadel and it was destroyed by Saladin.  There is evidence of Jewish life in the 3rd century synagogue ruins and the ornate Sidonian tombs show the affluence of the 3rd and 4th century inhabitants.  Not far from the Crusader ruins, are a series of enormous limestone caves dating back to the Hellenistic period.  The caves were used as water cisterns, animal pens, and burial.   Ongoing excavations have uncovered a Roman amphitheater near the entrance to Kibbutz Beit Guvrin.

Amatzia – is another series of caves and can be found at a small park east of Ashkelon and south of Beit Guvrin.  The complex series of caves were used by the Jewish rebels during the Bar Kokhba Revolt in the 2nd century when approximately 300 people lived in the caverns.  The restored complex includes an underground synagogue, a guard room, water cisterns, an oil press and secret hideaways.

Tel Ekron – northeast of Ashkelon this is another of the five great Philistine Cities.  The City was established in the 12th century BC and under Assyrian rule, Ekron became the largest olive-oil production center in the ancient Near East.  More than 100 oil presses were discovered here.   Artifacts from the Philistine period and a reconstructed Philistine street can be found at Kibbutz Revadim

Leisure in Ashkelon :

Hamei Yoav Spa was founded by members of Kibbutz Negba and Sde Yoav.  The mineral water was discovered when during the 1950s, while digging for crude oil in the area.  In the mid 80s they discovered that the water had health benefits and could be used as a source of relaxation and healing.  The water accelerates the metabolism and speeds up weight loss, rejuvenates skin cells and relieves stress.  Hamei Yoav offers Thermo-mineral Water Pools, the Waterfall Pool, Hydro Massages and Sauna as well as a deluxe spa center.