Page 41 - Discover Israel Magazine - 2015 Edition
P. 41
A huge jumble of gigantic building feet in size, its 23-foot-high arched roof still
blocks lies scattered across the
in perfect shape. The uninviting green goo
on the surface of the water makes you hope
hillside, as if only yesterday some
careless giant whacked them of
that some iltration system was in operation
way back when, or that the ancients holed
the towering walls of the Nimrod Fortress. As
you stand at the foot of the once powerful
up here had some alternative when they
got thirsty. But in its day, the reservoir was
structure, you can think of the “mighty
hunter” Nimrod, from Genesis, after whom a marvel of engineering, some say inspired
it is named. You can imagine the Crusader by Herodian reservoirs beneath the Temple
knights, who, after losing Jerusalem, stalked Mount in Jerusalem. The nearby fountain,
the valley below, yearning for a chance to reconditioned in 1240, as another elaborate
take over this strategic topographical saddle Arabic inscription notes, sings the praises of
overlooking the road to Damascus. And don’t its builder.
forget the Mameluke warlords, one of whom,
al-Malik al-Aziz Othman, built the fortress in Popping back out into the sunlight, your
1228. His comrades-in-arms subsequently next stop is the most impressive room in the
fortress, a chamber built on the orders of
squabbled to possess it, the Mongols
destroyed it in their ultimately unsuccessful Sultan Baybars himself. Originally octagonal,
thrust westward, and the Ottomans, after the two walls were eventually joined so that
15th century, turned it into a prison. only seven sides are now left. They provide
fabulous views, framed by iring slits, of the The main entrance. Photo: Dafna Tal
Or, you can put all the ancient tales on hold valley below. (By the way, the architectural
for a while and make your own history at the term for these slits, through which you could
Nimrod Fortress. Today, this national park is shoot without getting shot at, took on a new
far enough of the beaten track that, despite meaning in modern times: they are called
the greeting by a friendly and helpful ranger loopholes
at the entrance, you can’t help but feel you
are the irst visitor in 500 years. The soldiers on duty in this chamber
presumably were not at liberty to leave for
a while – a toilet cubicle similar to the one
Take the pamphlet you receive at the
entrance, with its numbered map, and a
in the northwest tower was installed in one
lashlight if you have it. Skirt the rockfall corner of the tower’s south side.
and climb the old stairs that lead to the
Head eastward across a moat hewn into the .
massive gateway of the western tower
bedrock separating the rest of the fortress
The stones of the arch shifted during an
18th-century earthquake, but don’t worry, from the stronghold tower. (In the old days,
despite appearances, they aren’t about to the moat was spanned by a wooden bridge.)
On the way, you’ll discover that not all the
shake loose. To the right of the gate is a
shaft that was used to raise water from a
remnants of the past take the form of the
basement cistern to the second story 23 feet huge building stones. Scattered everywhere
above, and as the conduit for waste from are slivers of the beautifully glazed yellow,
the second-story toilet. To the left of the
turquoise, or green bowls and plates used
gateway, an arched entryway beckons - but by the inhabitants of the fortress in the 13th
that comes later. and 14th centuries.
For fun, send one of your gang ahead, without The stronghold tower is a fortress within a
the others knowing. Have that person wait fortress. Climb the steep stairway to the top,
for the group behind the right-angle turn at where you will be rewarded with one of the
the inside of the gateway. When they pop most breathtaking vistas in the country. Take A loophole offers a sliver of a view. Photo: Top Touch
out, as everyone else unsuspectingly makes in Mount Hermon, snowcapped in winter,
to the north, Mount Dov and the Lebanese
the turn, you’ll admire the tactical smarts
of those who designed this gateway – and border to the west, the Golan Heights to the A comer of
you’ll appreciate how attempts to take over east, and the green expanses of the Hula the octagonal
the fortress by anyone but a tour group often Valley to the south. The deep silence around chamber. Photo:
ended right then and there. you is broken only by the sound of the wind Top Touch
blowing through the oak trees, and the
Once inside the fortress, climb up to where scratching of the occasional family of coneys
you’ll ind a monumental Arabic inscription. (hyrax) sunning themselves on the rocks.
Dated 1275 and written in lowery Arabic,
the inscription praises Mameluke Sultan
Returning to the northwest tower where
Baybars, who delegated a lieutenant, Bilik, you started, now’s the time to enter that
to restore the fortress to the form you see vaulted chamber to the left of the entrance.
It descends into a powerfully constructed
today. Israel Nature and Parks Authority
restorers put the huge block back together tunnel, the entire purpose of which was
to lead to a secret exit from the fortress.
after it fell, probably from a second story
where Bilik’s palace was located. Historians tell us that sieges sometimes
lasted for years, with commercially minded
Look for the small opening, where a ladder elements on the outside sometimes
supplying the besieged with everything
beckons to underground chambers - an
invitation too good for any self-respecting they needed to persevere in comfort. The
castle-explorer to pass up. The ladder leads doorway you exit might not have been so
secret after all.
to another of the castles cisterns, 30x82
41
DISCOVER ISRAEL
blocks lies scattered across the
in perfect shape. The uninviting green goo
on the surface of the water makes you hope
hillside, as if only yesterday some
careless giant whacked them of
that some iltration system was in operation
way back when, or that the ancients holed
the towering walls of the Nimrod Fortress. As
you stand at the foot of the once powerful
up here had some alternative when they
got thirsty. But in its day, the reservoir was
structure, you can think of the “mighty
hunter” Nimrod, from Genesis, after whom a marvel of engineering, some say inspired
it is named. You can imagine the Crusader by Herodian reservoirs beneath the Temple
knights, who, after losing Jerusalem, stalked Mount in Jerusalem. The nearby fountain,
the valley below, yearning for a chance to reconditioned in 1240, as another elaborate
take over this strategic topographical saddle Arabic inscription notes, sings the praises of
overlooking the road to Damascus. And don’t its builder.
forget the Mameluke warlords, one of whom,
al-Malik al-Aziz Othman, built the fortress in Popping back out into the sunlight, your
1228. His comrades-in-arms subsequently next stop is the most impressive room in the
fortress, a chamber built on the orders of
squabbled to possess it, the Mongols
destroyed it in their ultimately unsuccessful Sultan Baybars himself. Originally octagonal,
thrust westward, and the Ottomans, after the two walls were eventually joined so that
15th century, turned it into a prison. only seven sides are now left. They provide
fabulous views, framed by iring slits, of the The main entrance. Photo: Dafna Tal
Or, you can put all the ancient tales on hold valley below. (By the way, the architectural
for a while and make your own history at the term for these slits, through which you could
Nimrod Fortress. Today, this national park is shoot without getting shot at, took on a new
far enough of the beaten track that, despite meaning in modern times: they are called
the greeting by a friendly and helpful ranger loopholes
at the entrance, you can’t help but feel you
are the irst visitor in 500 years. The soldiers on duty in this chamber
presumably were not at liberty to leave for
a while – a toilet cubicle similar to the one
Take the pamphlet you receive at the
entrance, with its numbered map, and a
in the northwest tower was installed in one
lashlight if you have it. Skirt the rockfall corner of the tower’s south side.
and climb the old stairs that lead to the
Head eastward across a moat hewn into the .
massive gateway of the western tower
bedrock separating the rest of the fortress
The stones of the arch shifted during an
18th-century earthquake, but don’t worry, from the stronghold tower. (In the old days,
despite appearances, they aren’t about to the moat was spanned by a wooden bridge.)
On the way, you’ll discover that not all the
shake loose. To the right of the gate is a
shaft that was used to raise water from a
remnants of the past take the form of the
basement cistern to the second story 23 feet huge building stones. Scattered everywhere
above, and as the conduit for waste from are slivers of the beautifully glazed yellow,
the second-story toilet. To the left of the
turquoise, or green bowls and plates used
gateway, an arched entryway beckons - but by the inhabitants of the fortress in the 13th
that comes later. and 14th centuries.
For fun, send one of your gang ahead, without The stronghold tower is a fortress within a
the others knowing. Have that person wait fortress. Climb the steep stairway to the top,
for the group behind the right-angle turn at where you will be rewarded with one of the
the inside of the gateway. When they pop most breathtaking vistas in the country. Take A loophole offers a sliver of a view. Photo: Top Touch
out, as everyone else unsuspectingly makes in Mount Hermon, snowcapped in winter,
to the north, Mount Dov and the Lebanese
the turn, you’ll admire the tactical smarts
of those who designed this gateway – and border to the west, the Golan Heights to the A comer of
you’ll appreciate how attempts to take over east, and the green expanses of the Hula the octagonal
the fortress by anyone but a tour group often Valley to the south. The deep silence around chamber. Photo:
ended right then and there. you is broken only by the sound of the wind Top Touch
blowing through the oak trees, and the
Once inside the fortress, climb up to where scratching of the occasional family of coneys
you’ll ind a monumental Arabic inscription. (hyrax) sunning themselves on the rocks.
Dated 1275 and written in lowery Arabic,
the inscription praises Mameluke Sultan
Returning to the northwest tower where
Baybars, who delegated a lieutenant, Bilik, you started, now’s the time to enter that
to restore the fortress to the form you see vaulted chamber to the left of the entrance.
It descends into a powerfully constructed
today. Israel Nature and Parks Authority
restorers put the huge block back together tunnel, the entire purpose of which was
to lead to a secret exit from the fortress.
after it fell, probably from a second story
where Bilik’s palace was located. Historians tell us that sieges sometimes
lasted for years, with commercially minded
Look for the small opening, where a ladder elements on the outside sometimes
supplying the besieged with everything
beckons to underground chambers - an
invitation too good for any self-respecting they needed to persevere in comfort. The
castle-explorer to pass up. The ladder leads doorway you exit might not have been so
secret after all.
to another of the castles cisterns, 30x82
41
DISCOVER ISRAEL
