Caesarea Palestine on the map. Caesarea

Caesarea is a small town, the only one of its kind in Israel.

This area is not a municipal area and is managed by a private organization; at the same time, this is where Israeli creative bohemia, wealthy businessmen and politicians and officials prefer to settle - Caesarea is considered the most prestigious place to live.

Caesarea is beach town, that’s why tourists who love the clean sea and snow-white sand on the coast come here. All Caesarea beaches are paid, open from May to October inclusive - during this period the air temperature is the warmest.

In Caesarea, tourists are organized with various excursions, which involve visiting local and surrounding attractions.

Popular among guests of the Caesarea Harbor Historical Reserve, National Park, King Herod’s amphitheater, “Palace on the Reef”, ruins of an ancient city.

It was in Caesarea on the site of the ancient city on Mediterranean coast Israel has created Caesarea National Park.

The ruins of many structures discovered by archaeologists date back to different historical periods.

Due to natural changes in the coastline, part of the city was swallowed up by waters Mediterranean Sea. Scientists still continue to conduct active archaeological excavations on land and under water.

Originally, from the mid-4th century BC, it was a settlement belonging to the Phoenicians, which was called Strato's Tower.

In 96 BC. it was conquered by the king of Judea, Alexander Yannai, and was able to keep the Tower of Strato in his power for 33 years, until the capture of the settlement along with all of Judea by Pompey.

A curious coincidence, but again, 33 years later, in 30 BC, Emperor Augustus returned the settlement to Judean rule. The then king Herod managed to turn him into Big City. As a token of gratitude, the king named the city Caesarea in honor of Emperor Augustus.

The name is explained very simply - it goes back to the Roman term Caesar (Caesar), associated with the family name Caesar, or Caesar in Old Slavic pronunciation.

There were several cities with this name in the Roman Empire, and in order not to get confused, new town began to be called Caesarea Maritime (Caesarea maritima), and even later the name Caesarea Palestine appeared.

The personality of King Herod and his activities were full of contradictions. He shed a lot of blood, suppressing the rebellious people, and did not spare his relatives in the brutal struggle for power.

But at the same time he became famous as the greatest builder in the history of Judea. At the beginning of his reign, Herod enjoyed the patronage of Rome and was perceived by the Jews as a foreign protege.

Herod aroused especially strong hostility among the conservative part of Jewish society, and he was not especially favored anywhere. Therefore, he chose the small settlement of Stratonov Tower for his residence and literally in a few years transformed its largest port city.

Grandiose were built royal palace, Roman temples, amphitheater, baths. The royal entourage and military leaders lived in luxurious houses.

The title Great came to Herod after his death.

The first to call Herod this way were historians who appreciated his achievements as a builder. In addition, his heirs bore the same name, so it became necessary to highlight the founder of the Herodias dynasty.

After the death of Herod, Judea became a Roman province, and Caesarea its capital. Herod's palace was used as a residence for Roman governors. The city continued to be an important seaport.

At the beginning of the new millennium, mainly Greeks and Romans lived here, although there were also many Jews.

Many events related to church life took place in Caesarea. Here the Apostle Paul was detained for two years. In 135, the Romans brutally executed Rabbi Akiva along with other Jewish sages who studied the Talmud at the city amphitheater.

Gradually, the Christian Church began to gain more and more influence, asserting itself in the fight against the Roman gods. In the 5th century, the temple of the goddess Roma and Augustus was destroyed in Caesarea, and already at the beginning of the 6th century the first large Byzantine church appeared.

Several famous theologians, philosophers, historians, and writers lived in the city.

Jews were in the minority in the city, but this did not prevent them from founding synagogues in the city, opening several schools and even an academy for the study of the Talmud.

During the Byzantine period, despite the fires and epidemics that occurred, Caesarea grew and developed. New public buildings appeared, walls were strengthened, and new churches were erected.

The arrival of the Arabs in 640 marked the end of the Byzantine period in the history of the city. For the Crusaders, Caesarea was an important stronghold in their expansion into the Holy Land. In the 13th century, Caesarea was on the list of many other cities that were destroyed by the Mamluk Sultan Baybars.

Today, a settlement located next to the ancient city bears the name Caesarea. About five thousand people live here, and quite wealthy ones - modern Caesarea is built up with private villas and cottages.

During the construction of ancient Caesarea, the most advanced technologies of its time were used. The artificial bay for the port was created from a kind of concrete. It was a mixture of lime and volcanic ash.

The royal palace, built on the reefs, made a grandiose impression on those who saw it. Josephus wrote: “He (Herod) rebuilt this city of limestone and adorned it with a palace of incomparable luxury, and in no other place did the greatness of his spirit express itself with such completeness.”

The palace, in essence, was artificial island, ahead of its time by entire millennia. It even had a swimming pool, which is considered the first structure of its kind.

Today little remains of the palace. However, there is an exhibit here that you should definitely look at. This is the so-called stone of Pontius Pilate, or the Slab from Caesarea. A fragment of a Latin inscription with the dedication of Pontius Pilate to Emperor Tiberius was discovered on it.

This is the first archaeological find that indicates the reality of the historical figure Pontius Pilate. Found in 1961, the stone is kept in the Israel History Museum, and a copy of it is on display to the public in Caesarea.

The foundation of the Greco-Roman city laid by Herod continued to develop further. On the territory of the Caesarea Archaeological Park you can see structures built by the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and Crusaders.

The Roman Hippodrome was built with a length of 460 meters and spectator seats capable of accommodating 30,000 people. The hippodrome in Caesarea is considered one of the best preserved in the world.

The ancient theater, which the Jewish sages really disliked, is the oldest in Israel.

The large bath complex attracts with well-preserved decoration from the Byzantine period. Floor mosaics have survived best of all to this day.

The so-called temple site has an interesting historical fate. It was a foundation (podium) slightly raised above the surface of the earth, on which religious buildings stood in succession.

First it was a temple of the goddess Roma and Emperor Augustus, then a Byzantine octagonal church, an Arab mosque and Cathedral Crusaders.

What remained from the Crusaders were massive walls, a moat and gates built under Louis IX.

The park contains large fragments of preserved aqueducts. According to one of them, water approached the city from a source in Ein Shomi. The height of this structure reached eight meters.

Another aqueduct brought water from an artificial reservoir. The construction of the third aqueduct dates back to the Byzantine period.

The park contains not only ancient ruins. There is a diving center here that offers training, equipment rental and underwater excursions.

But even here the past is connected to the present. Divers can see parts of Caesarea that are underwater today. These are docks, lighthouses, warehouses and sunken ships.

The Israelis are proud of this amphitheater, because it is the largest ancient Roman amphitheater in Israel. Palestine was on the periphery of the Roman Empire, and big cities The Romans didn't build here. As a result, only three amphitheaters remain in Israel. The remaining two in the cities of Scythopolis and Eloutheropolis are much smaller than the amphitheater in Caesarea.

But by world standards, the local theater is small - only 4,000 spectators, which cannot be compared with those in Italy or Tunisia. Even in Turkey, the amphitheater is twice as large, although it is considered small.

Of all the ancient buildings in Caesarea, it is the amphitheater that is the best preserved, and it makes the most vivid impression on tourists.

Amphitheaters almost always stand up to time better than other buildings, since they were preferred to be built on hillsides; there is simply nothing to collapse here. However, there are exceptions, for example, in Italy, where the theater was made of wood. Amphitheaters were used for theatrical performances, political debates, executions and gladiatorial fights.

Now this amphitheater is actively used for concerts. This is a very prestigious concert venue, and tickets here are not cheap.

What to see - hippodrome

This is the most valuable building for tourists. To see a real Roman hippodrome, and in such good condition, is a huge success.

Many ancient amphitheaters have survived, but only a few hippodromes. The largest hippodrome, the Roman Circus Maximus, has not survived at all. The second largest is the Constantinople Hippodrome in Istanbul, and only a few buildings remain from it. The Hippodrome of Caesarea is one of the largest that has survived to this day.

The main entertainment at the hippodromes of the Roman Empire was chariot racing. The chariots had to go 7 laps. There were rarely races when all the drivers survived to the finish line.

Performances at the hippodrome were not limited to chariot and horse races. Gladiator fights, executions of criminals, baiting of animals and baiting of people with animals were held here. At the hippodrome in Caesarea, tunnels and arches have been preserved for bringing criminals and animals into the arena; pay attention to them.

Local Israeli guides love to talk about bullying. They just keep saying: “So many Jews were executed here, so many Jews were executed there.” And they also love to criticize the ancient Roman culture and religion, extolling Judaism. Of course, we should not forget the victims of tyranny - this is indisputable. But tourists still come to see ancient city, and not listen to who was executed and where.

Many ancient Roman cities are known under the name Caesarea. These are Caesarea Palestine, Caesarea Cappadocia, Caesarea Mauritanian, Caesarea Lebanese, Caesarea Philippi, Neokesarea. The most important from a historical and tourist point of view is Caesarea in Palestine, located in Israel, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

On its ruins stands the modern Israeli city of Caesarea. The history of Caesarea dates back to the mid-4th century BC, and there are many preserved attractions here. While relaxing here, you can visit a large number of interesting places.

Show "Journey Through Time"

The National Park of Ancient Caesarea preserves almost 2,500 years of history. Especially for travelers coming to Caesarea in search of new adventures, a project called “Journey Through Time” was created in the Caesarea National Park. This is a fascinating show where in just ten minutes you can trace the history of the city’s development from its beginnings to the present day.

You can continue virtual trip, and visitors will see the city buildings of those times on a huge screen, walk along the streets of the city, and even visit houses or make purchases at the market. All this will remain in the memory of travelers for many years. Then, after the virtual tour, tourists go on a real tour, where even more vivid impressions of what they saw await them.

In the national park you can not only study the history of the city well, but also relax and have fun. On the beach, tourists are offered all kinds of aquatic species sports, games. There are many bars and restaurants nearby.

The majestic city of Caesarea in ancient times amazed its contemporaries with the same grandeur of its buildings. Only the ruins of the ancient city have survived to this day, but they also impress with their beauty. In the national park, where archaeological excavations have been carried out for many years, you can see the ruins of a palace on a reef.

There was a swimming pool in the western part of the palace. Some researchers believe that it was used as a fish market, others claim that it was used by Roman procurators. The palace dates back to the Roman and Byzantine periods.

While in the Reef Palace, you can observe the beauty of the city for a long time. Looking around, you are amazed at the size and grandeur of Kesari. The combination of ancient buildings with the blue sea creates unique, picturesque views. Kesari National Park preserves the values ​​of nature, landscape and cultural heritage. Future generations will have something to be proud of. The National Park of Ancient Caesarea preserves almost 2,500 years of history.

A distinctive feature of Roman cities was the presence of a Roman theater. In Caesarea, the Roman Theater, built during the time of Herod, is well preserved. In the Middle East, it became the very first of the Roman theaters. It has been completely restored and is now used for concerts by Israeli and foreign artists.

Every year various festivals are held here, such as the international opera. It holds about 4000 spectators. A visit to the Roman Theater in Caesarea leaves a wonderful impression and fascinates tourists. The most interesting thing is that the building is more than two thousand years old, and being there, you can feel the connection of times - from antiquity to the present day.

An interesting attraction for tourists is the Roman hippodrome, which has been preserved in good condition in Caesarea. Being in it takes every tourist’s breath away, and images of Roman chariots appear before their eyes. Why was a hippodrome needed in ancient times? It was the hippodrome that was considered the main entertainment of the Romans. Chariot races were held here, horse races were held here, and also, no less spectacular, gladiator fights. In addition to all this, executions of criminals were carried out at the Caesarea hippodrome.

Amazing structures from ancient times can be seen in Kesari. Among them are Roman baths. Public baths were located on a huge area.

Their remains have survived to this day; some elements are well preserved. Judging by them, the baths of Caesarea were in no way inferior to the best Roman models. All this is thanks to the activities of the great King Herod.

The era of the Crusades began in the 11th century. Initially these were military campaigns of Christians against Muslims. The knights moved towards Jerusalem and Palestine to “liberate” these lands from people of other faiths.

Then the campaigns acquired not only a “liberation”, but also an “aggressive” character, when the knights tried to seize many European lands, the lands of the East. As for Israel, the crusaders came here several times, to Jerusalem and Caesarea. And the reason was the decision of the Catholic Church to return Christian shrines and recapture them from Muslims.

The campaigns of the Crusaders were reflected not only in a change in the worldview of the population, a change in religion, but also in the architecture of the conquered cities. In Caesarea, the crusaders immediately began to change the appearance of the entire city. The Crusader Fortress was built.

The “Sculpture Garden” can be called a particularly interesting place. It is located next to the exit from the Crusader gate. The second name is “Street of Statues”. There are headless statues here. The statues are snow-white and made of marble. And they were installed on the remains of the mosaic floor.

Every city with access to the sea has sea ​​port. But it is the sea port of Caesarea on the Mediterranean coast that amazes with its beauty and grandeur. And, although it was built more than two thousand years ago, it is still worthy of attention.

Previously, the port served as a stopping place for merchant ships, served as the economic and political center of the entire country, and brought huge revenues to the state treasury. Today the port is the most visited archaeological site in Israel. Along the port pier you can find souvenir shops and restaurants.

Caesarea is located on the shores of the Mediterranean harbor, and this harbor is artificially created. And sources fresh water There was no potable water in the city.

Fresh water appeared there thanks to the powerful King Herod. On his order, an aqueduct was built - a special canal through which water began to flow into Caesarea. For almost a hundred years, this aqueduct supplied water to the city, and then another one was built. The appearance of fresh water in Caesarea contributed to the further development of the city, the construction of baths and sewers was underway, all this led to the expansion of the city's territory.

Diving center "Ancient Caesarea"

As you know, the port of Caesarea, built by King Herod, went under water. Its ancient ruins are located in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. There is an underwater archaeological park, the only one in the world.

This park has four fascinating routes that introduce tourists to the wonders of Roman engineering. After all, the first artificial port in history first appeared in Caesarea, and for its time the port was technically perfect.

The diving center welcomes both experienced and beginner divers, and also provides them with a full range of services. Such as: accompanied diving, group diving, introductory diving, night diving, you can order snorkeling, both solo and accompanied, order insurance, carry out equipment repairs, rent equipment. Here you can take various courses that differ in topic, age limit and duration. Impressions received in ancient port Caesarea cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

There are many interesting places in Caesarea, one of them is the Ralli museum. Its founder is Harry Recanti, who devoted his life to collecting art, he was the owner of a large bank, and with his earnings he opened four private museums, one of which is located in Caesarea.

The unique feature of this museum is that the entrance to it is free, everyone can visit it, the founder of the museum gives pleasure to visitors who are interested in art, because absolutely free entries going to museums is a huge rarity.

In the museum buildings you can find collections of Latin American art, amazing paintings, sculptures by Salvador Dali and other famous artists and sculptors. On the lower floor there is a department dedicated to archeology. The neighboring building is called Rally 2. At the entrance to it, travelers are greeted by a fountain named after Christopher Columbus, and around it are sculptures of famous Jews. All three floors of the building are filled with superb paintings that are definitely worth a look.

For 2000 years, the name of Pontius Pilate has been known to all Christians. The fifth procurator of Judea, who lived in Caesarea, his reign was a time of bloodshed and cruel reprisals. And one of the most severe was the trial of Jesus Christ.

The Jewish high priests could not carry out the sentence without the confirmation of Pontius Pilate, and he himself was displeased at being interfered with in such a matter. According to the New Testament, Pilate refused to put Jesus to death, but he was forced to do so. After this, according to many hypotheses, Pilate committed suicide.

For many hundreds of years, people have debated both the existence of Christ and Pontius Pilate, and all biblical characters. And in 1961, in Caesarea, archaeologists discovered a marble slab and an inscription on it. This became unique evidence of the real existence of the procurator who carried out the trial of Jesus. Now you can see a copy stone there, but the original was sent to Jerusalem.

At the entrance to Caesarea from the south, is the Israel International Golf Club. It was founded by Baron de Rothschild in 1960.

On this moment it is one of the most prestigious golf clubs in the world. And the proximity of the club to the Mediterranean coast and the Caesarea National Park creates a pleasant experience of pleasure beautiful nature these places. And, although competitions are mainly held here at the international level, the golf club also invites tourists. There are courses, golf schools for children and adults, a restaurant and a golf shop.

The modern Mariposa restaurant complex is located at the Caesarea Golf Club. This place is ideal for a leisurely meal while enjoying the scenic views of the surrounding areas and golf courses. Three top chefs teamed up to create this restaurant. They have created an interesting and affordable menu, which includes fish, seafood, meat, vegetarian dishes, and kosher dishes. Opening hours from 12.00 to 24.00.

Helena, Israeli cuisine restaurant

Helena Restaurant creates a magical atmosphere even before guests taste the food. And all because it is located very close to the sea, and there is a beautiful landscape around it. This restaurant is the most beautiful in Caesarea. Its interior and view of the port fascinates visitors. The chefs offer Mediterranean cuisine, a variety of fish and meat dishes, there is a menu for vegetarians, and a children's menu. There is a separate, closed room with a capacity of up to 40 people, there are also seats on the balcony - about 90. Opening hours from 12.00 to 23.00.

Among the French, cesar meat takes up approximately 5% of all meat consumed. The situation is similar in Italy. In post-perestroika Russia, guinea fowl appeared on store shelves only in mid-2013.

The manufacturer and supplier of these unusual products is Samson-Ferma LLC, a farm complex for the production of bioorganic (natural) products from guinea fowl meat and eggs. The production is located in the Kaluga region.

At one time, to properly organize the work, the specialists involved in the project visited France, where they visited the largest French cooperatives Loue And Duc de Mayenne, who have been specializing in guinea fowl farming for many years. There they studied the technology and organization of production of this bird, and at one of the largest processing plants in France Remi Ramon got acquainted with the technology of its slaughter and processing. During the trip, we also met with the company’s specialists Grelier, which has been selecting and breeding guinea fowl for industrial use for many years and today is one of the few suppliers of breeding material on the world market. With this baggage, Russian farmers began their own production of guinea fowl.

Poultry is raised on the farm for up to 73-77 days.

An ideal location has been found for the farm. There are untouched forests around the enterprise; there is not a single large industrial enterprise within a radius of 70 km; The farm is separated from other farms and residential settlements by a sanitary protection zone that exceeds Russian standards and regulations by 15 times. At the same time, there is a federal highway nearby, which will allow fresh products to be delivered to Moscow store shelves every day in a short time.

At the same time, the enterprise was created according to all the canons of livestock farms. On-farm roads are divided into clean ones, along which feed, hatching eggs, day-old young animals, clean bedding material are transported, and “dirty” ones, for the removal of droppings, poultry for slaughter, production waste, and culled poultry. All rooms, including the slaughterhouse, are isolated from each other.

All products are sold under the brand La Ferme.

We were about to get acquainted with Caesarea - an ancient port built by King Herod and now located about 40 km from Tel Aviv. As soon as you enter the territory national park Caesarea, it becomes clear that this is not just a separate archaeological excavation, but a real city where you can walk for more than one day. No wonder tourists are offered several routes. From a very casual acquaintance for one or two hours to great walk, designed for 6 hours with inspection of numerous historical and archaeological sights of this wonderful place.

Stretching on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea from the bays between the mouths of the Crocodiles Creek and the Hadera River, the city undoubtedly was once incredibly beautiful.

Its history began during Persian rule, when the Phoenicians built a small settlement here. It was first mentioned in 259 BC under the name Strato's Tower. In 103 BC. the coast was annexed to the Hasmonean kingdom, but 40 years later it was recaptured by Rome. The Roman Caesar Augustus gave these lands to King Herod, who built a large a beautiful city and named it Caesarea in honor of the Roman emperor Octavian Augustus. Herod had big plans; he hoped to make Caesarea the center of Greco-Roman culture. The most impressive buildings from Herod's time are well preserved. For example, a two-tier theater for 4 thousand. seats. It has been restored and today is successfully used for concerts and performances.

The amphitheater with an arena length of more than 250 meters and a width of about 50 is amazing. This huge structure served the Romans to host their favorite spectacle - chariot races, as well as other sports competitions. Initially, the amphitheater was designed for 10 thousand spectators. Herod’s box was located on the side, and this is no accident: after all, the most acute moments of the racing took place precisely at the turn. In general, with entertainment centers Everything was fine in Caesarea. There was another amphitheater for gladiator fights and animal games and a huge hippodrome, which was decorated with giant marble sculptures. Looking at this photo you can imagine their size.

The city was decorated magnificent palace(“Palace on the Reef”) and a temple built in honor of Rome and Augustus. But little has survived from these buildings.

To ensure communication with Rome, Herod decided to build a port, but there was no natural harbor on the coast, and the king created a grandiose artificial structure with docks, a warehouse and a lighthouse. Over time, this unique engineering creation turned out to be buried under water. However, archaeologists have found and explored Herod's port. In 1993, an underwater submarine opened in Caesarea. Archaeological Museum. It has a diving school, so amateurs can get acquainted with historical finds directly under water.

The complex of public baths with very exquisite mosaic decoration is also well preserved. True, these are already the remains of the later Byzantine period.

After the suppression of the Jewish uprising, this land became a Roman province, and Caesarea became its most significant city and the residence of Roman procurators. By the way, it is possible that Pontius Pilate visited Caesarea. Here is a limestone slab on which is carved a dedication to the Emperor Tiberius, signed “Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea.” This stone is considered the only material evidence of the existence of the most famous procurator of Judea.

In the northern part of the city there is a perfectly preserved aqueduct through which water came from mountain peaks Carmel to the ancient city. The place is very romantic. Israelis love to enjoy the surrounding landscape while sitting on the aqueduct with a bottle of wine and a piece of cheese.

Caesarea would have flourished further, but in 1101 the city was captured by the crusaders, then it was ruled by Sultan Saladin, and in 1191 the crusaders led by Richard the Lionheart came here again. The crusaders must be given their due: they revived the city and port, built a temple in which, according to legend, a valuable relic was kept - the “Holy Grail”. But in 1265, Caesarea was again captured by the Mamluks, destroyed by them and then abandoned. So until the end of the 19th century, the city remained in ruins until the Turkish authorities settled refugees from Bosnia here. Only then did a living settlement form on the ruins of the Crusader city. Today it is a national park.

In order to consistently imagine the entire history of Caesarea, tourists are offered to watch a small, but very competently and logically structured multimedia film. All historical periods of the city's development are "sorted out". Interesting for both adults and children.

It’s a pleasure to spend the whole day in the park, combining historical excursions with the simple pleasures of life: swimming in the sea and a delicious lunch. There is a paid beach in the southern part of the port, and a public beach is located near the upper aqueduct.

Alla Dobrovolskaya