The history and wonder of the Old City of Acre

 

Israel is a country rich in history. From Jerusalem to the Negev desert, there are a seemingly endless number of sites, monuments, and temples from the past of immeasurable historic worth. Still, none quite compare with the Old City of Acre, a city frozen in time.

Estimated to be approximately 4,000 years old, Acre (or Akko) has seen it's share of history. Located on the water, Acre played an important role as a major seaport and center for trade throughout the ages and has been the site of conflict many times during its long history. Four separate dominant religions have claimed Acre throughout the years, and each has left their own distinct mark on the city.

Jewish temples dot the city. Grand mosques still stand from when the Muslims held the area. The Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh still stands from the Bahai religion. During the Crusader period, the city rapidly expanded and took on Christian influences, reflected in both its architecture and fortifications. As the Crusader presence vanished in the area, residents began to build over the remnants of the past as they had done so many times before.

This is what gives Acre its unique historical value. The city is layered, as if different periods of history were draped over each other. Sometimes figurative, but also literally. Underneath the streets of Acre lies a subterranean city lost to time, a relic from the Crusader era that can still be explored and seen today. It's this completely unique opportunity to step back in time and experience it for yourself that makes Acre so incredible and why it was designated a UNESCO world heritage site.

Acre has been referred to as the Pompeii of Roman time. A remarkably preserved moment, like a photograph you can walk through. Beneath the Ahmeh El-Jazzar's citadel, the Crusader City can be explored. This massive underground structure was once the headquarters of the Crusader army. Here, knights would gather, plan, rest, and congregate. It's a stunning display of ancient architecture that has managed to survive for centuries.

Of course, the city served not just as a fortification, but as a way to safely navigate the city. The "Templar’s tunnel” was a strategic underground passage that provided easy access to the port. Over 350 meters long and carved in natural stone, walking it feels like exploring something out of an Indian Jones movie, a kind of secret history from another time.

Above ground, the walls of the city still stand today. These giant fortifications wrap around the whole of the Old City. Where once they operated to fend off invaders and secure the city from attack, they now provide a picturesque view of the City and a unique visual identity to Acre. 

The Ahmeh El-Jazzar's citadel itself is worth a tour. This 18th century monstrosity was once used a prison by the British. Here the British authorities held captured Jewish fighters. Today, the prison houses a museum dedicated to those same prisoners and other Jews who were executed during imperial reign. 

And peeking over the water, proud on a sea-line cliff-wall is St. John's Church. This brightly coloured red and white church stands out as a uniquely bright and strangely modern (despite being constructed in 1737) building  in the middle of Acre's dusty browns and ancient stonework. While historic in its own right, the church was actually built over the site of an even earlier 12th century Crusader church. 

And that's the story of Acre in a nutshell. Layer over layer of history and time built up over and over again.