Tourism - Center of Israel
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Jaffa Port
Copyright: Tel Aviv Yafo Economic Development
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Jaffa Port
Jaffa Port, today at the heart of the heart of the Tel-Aviv metropolitan area, is believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Archaeological evidence shows that Jaffa was inhabited some 7,500 years BCE, and its natural harbor has been in use since the Bronze Age. Jaffa is mentioned four times in the old testimony, where the ancient port is renowned as the place whence the prophet Jonah embarked for Tarshish. The port was even mentioned in the Greek mythology, as the place where Perseus saved Princess Andromeda from a monstrous sea serpent. To date the great rocks near the ports’ entrance are called "Andromeda's Rock", following this legend. Jaffa Port has changed many hands over the years, and with time its importance as a key fishing port has diminished. After years of neglect, Jaffa Port is being renewed as an active fishing port and as an open and lively urban center. Great care is taken to actively conserve the port's unique atmosphere and character by combining culture, leisure, retail, tourism and sailing activities at the port area.
Port of Caesarea The port city of Caesarea Maritima was built by Herod the Great about 25-13 BCE. The pagan city underwent vast changes under Herod the Great, who renamed it Caesarea in honor of the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus. In Herods’ times the city was greatly developed including the construction of markets, roads, baths, temples, imposing public buildings, and a deep sea harbor. At the time of its construction, in the 1st century BC, the harbor was ranked as the largest artificial harbor built in the open sea, enclosing around 100,000 m2. It was build using unique Roman techniques still analyzed by modern engineers, including underwater use of molded cement. The area flourished and every five years the city hosted major sports competitions, gladiator games, and theatrical productions in its theatre overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The same amphitheatre is still open to the public today, where modern performances can be viewed in a unique atmosphere. Among the most impressive attractions surrounding the port area are the ancient Temple of Augustus, ruins of Herods’s Palace, and the Hypostadium, where games and battle shows were once performed.
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