It is no secret that Israel is full of beautiful places and for all humanity. So much so that nine of them are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, along with world monuments such as the Taj Mahal, the Great Barrier Reef and Yellowstone National Park.
To be included in the prestigious list, cultural or herbal sites will need to meet multiple criteria, such as representing a masterpiece of human artistic genius, containing exceptional herbal phenomena, or being exceptional examples representing primary milestones in Earth’s history.
In addition, Israel has compiled a list of 18 provisional features worthy of inclusion, such as Caesarea, Timna and the Sea of Galilee.
Until those return to their rightful place, check out the ones that have already achieved worldwide fame and make sure you have as many as you can in your next here: they were added to the list for good reason.
No stopover in Israel is complete without one at Masada, and it turns out that the UN experts agree.
The ancient mountaintop fortress, where a group of Jewish families resisted the mighty Roman legion for several months, stands against the backdrop of the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea and is an absolutely beholding sight.
It’s also the most comprehensive Roman siege work, and in my private experience, it’s definitely worth the grueling hike (though you can also hop on and off in a cable car).
The ancient city of Acre (Akko) on the northwest coast is unique as it features an incredible combination of Crusader and Ottoman architecture.
The Hall of the Knights, the Grand Mosque and the cobbled alleys look like something straight out of a film set, but fortunately, they are home to a glorious combination of other people and traditions.
Our best recommendation is to make a stop at the domain on summer days to allow the fresh and ancient stones to give you a respite from the dazzling sun, as they have done for thousands of generations before you.
The White City of Tel Aviv is the ultimate complete collection of modernist architecture. Known colloquially as the “Bauhaus”, it is represented through white buildings with curved balconies and elegant proportions built with capacity in mind.
Many modernist architects fled Europe during World War II to Tel Aviv, bringing this unique taste with them to our little corner of the Middle East and giving it a whole new look. While there are many tours you can take in Tel Aviv to stay informed, you can also simply walk the streets of the city, such as Rothschild Boulevard, and see many examples.
Tels are mounds of prehistoric rocks and can be found in Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey.
Of the two hundred as in Israel, UNESCO decided that the 3 in Megiddo (aka Armageddon), Hazar and Beersheba are the best examples of biblical connections and centralized authority of the Iron Age, industrial routes and groundwater harvesting, which give us insight into the thriving communities that once lived here.
To this day, the Negev desert in southern Israel can create a pretty harsh environment, so we can only believe it was over 2000 years ago.
And yet, as evidenced by the four Nabataean peoples scattered along the ancient incense direction, this harsh landscape was populated, cultivated, and was a vital component of the direction of the incense and spice industry that crossed southern Arabia to the Mediterranean Sea.
Today, you can revel in the archaeological remains of forts and irrigation systems and be thankful for returning in an air-conditioned coach at the end of your tour.
The Baha’i Faith was established in Iran in the nineteenth century and, through twists and turns of fate and exile, built some of its holy sites and central administration in Israel’s northern cities of Haifa and Acre.
UNESCO highlights the shrines of the two peoples related to the founders of the faith, their non-secular importance and the role they play in the pilgrimage. Both complexes, with their manicured gardens, offer visitors the opportunity to appreciate culture and faith in a peaceful atmosphere. , respectful and charming surroundings.
UNESCO chose the Nahal Me’arot (River of Caves) complex on Mount Carmel for its stunning example of human evolution. The area, which is home to 3 cave complexes, includes archaeological remains that constitute at least part of a million years of human evolution, adding to the simultaneous lifestyles of Neanderthals and humans fashionable there.
There are also examples of stone architecture and equipment at the site, marking humanity’s transition from a hunter-gatherer way of life to an agricultural way of life (fans of Yuval Noah Harari, you know what I’m talking about). This, UNESCO notes, makes the region a key site for understanding human evolution in general and prehistory in the Levant in particular.
The caves of Maresha and Bet Guvrin in the Judean lowlands are not only a glorious circle of family travel, but also serve as a microcosm of the land of caves and the cultural mosaic of the region that lies at the crossroads of two wonderful empires: Egypt. and Mesopotamia.
The caves extracted from the domain, about 3500 of them, have been used as places of worship, dovecotes, oil presses and cisterns, and give an interesting idea of how other people lived here during an era of 2000 years, from the eighth century BC. to the Middle Ages.
While a cemetery might appear as a selection for a World Heritage site, the necropolis of Beit She’arim near Haifa is actually very special.
This series of catacombs served as a prominent Jewish burial some 2000 years ago and includes a wide diversity of artwork, treasures, tombs and inscriptions in Hebrew and Greek, plus some curses meant to scare away grave robbers.
Its importance lies in its connection to Rabbi Judah the Prince, who led the Jewish network at the time of Roman rule and after the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE.