Excursion «23. Underground Acco. Crusaders' halls. Rothschild Park»

It is the city, within the walls of which is still heard the clang of swords and armor of the crusaders and war cries calling for battle. Acre is saturated with history and time has no power over this place. Sometimes it seems that it is moving perfectly in a chaotic direction. Monuments of the past and present mixed together here, but they appeared far from architectural badness, on the contrary brought a special atmosphere.
There is an ancient port, and fortresses of the crusaders, and Turkish baths (hamams), mosques and even a magical garden built during the crusaders. Among all the historical diversity it is difficult to single out one thing.: the city keeps the secret of the Templars, it hosted Napoleon, the legendary king Richard the Lionheart, and despite all the warriors, rulers and conquerors, Acre has never interrupted its settlement for more than five millennia and is one of the oldest cities in the world.

When the solders of the Knights Templar came to Palestinian lands, they settled in Jerusalem. In the XII century, Jerusalem was conquered by the Sultan Salah al-Din. After which the Templars moved to Acre, having built a powerful fortress there. Over time, it was destroyed, but the tunnel remained, which was accidentally discovered during repair work. Previously, the tunnel connected the fortress and the eastern port of the city. Now it is an interesting tourist attraction. The length of the tunnel is about 350 meters. Along its entire length, a wooden flooring is laid and lighting is installed. Currently, work is underway to restore another branch of the tunnel and open it to visitors.

Not far from Zikhron Yaakov (large settlement) is a park built and named after Baron Rothschild. In the depths of the park is the tomb of the baron and his wife.
Entrance to the park is free. The vast territory of the park is well-groomed and equipped. Walking along the paved paths, it is pleasant to admire a variety of plants: here you will find palm trees, acacia trees, and a huge number of beautiful roses in different shades. The park has many neat lawns and small trimmed bushes, there are small artificial waterfalls, as well as man-made ponds, in which there are a lot of lilies and goldfish.
One part of the park called the “Garden of Smells” is specially equipped for blind people. A large number of medicinal plants grow here, publishing pleasant aromas. Near each plant is a tablet with a description in several languages ​​(including Braille).

The city of Acre, which is one of the most ancient cities in the world, is of particular interest to tourists. The city has a huge number of historical monuments of different centuries, however, the underground city of the crusaders is of the greatest value (after all, it was in Acre that the crusaders settled during the Crusades).
It is no secret that it was the city of Acre that for a long time was the capital of the Kingdom of the Crusaders. Today, every tourist has a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with the huge complex, most of which is located underground. The complex includes monasteries, temples, castles, underground passages. One of the most impressive rooms underground, undoubtedly, is the Knights' Hall of the Hospitallers (this room is currently used for concerts).
The underground premises of knights of the Middle Ages are decorated with the banners of the crusaders. There is a special lighting in the halls, which creates an even more mysterious and mysterious atmosphere.