A CRUSADER TOWNPRESERVED AT

ACRE

Acre (modern name: Akko or Akka) is a city in the western Galilee region of northern Israel.

Acre (modern name: Akko or Akka) is a city in the western Galilee region of northern Israel.

Acre (modern name: Akko or Akka) is a city in the western Galilee region of northern Israel.

Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country.

Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country.

The name of the city appears in documents of ancient Egypt dating to the 16th century BC.—in a tribute list of Thutmose III, the so-called Napoleon of New Kingdom Egypt

Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country.

The name of the city appears in documents of ancient Egypt dating to the 16th century BC.—in a tribute list of Thutmose III, the so-called Napoleon of New Kingdom Egypt

Alexander the Great annexed the city into his empire.

It was renamed Ptolemais

by Ptolemy II of Egypt,

It was renamed Ptolemais

by Ptolemy II of Egypt,

It was renamed Ptolemais

by Ptolemy II of Egypt,

leader of the dynasty

that ruled Egypt after the

death of Alexander.

As Ptolemais, the city eventually became part of

the Roman Empire.

The city came under the rule of the Muslims beginning in 638.

The city came under the rule of the Muslims beginning in 638.

The Muslims renamed the city Akka. It became prosperous and the main port of Palestine.

The Muslims renamed the city Akka. It became prosperous and the main port of Palestine.

In 1104, it was captured by the Christian forces of the First Crusade (Baldwin I, King of Jerusalem) .

It became a part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the main port of the eastern Mediterranean.

It became a part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the main port of the eastern Mediterranean.

In 1187, Acre was re-taken by Saladin

SALADIN

SALADIN

One of the most famous of Muslim military heroes and a leader who had succeeded in uniting all of the Middle East against the Crusaders.

In 1191, the city was returned to Christian rule by Richard the Lionhearted during the Third Crusade.

In 1191, the city was returned to Christian rule by Richard the Lionhearted during the Third Crusade.

It became the capital of the remnant of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

It was the final stronghold of the Crusader state until 1291 when a Muslim army from Egypt ousted Acre’s Christian garrison in a bloody siege.

The city became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1517 and fell into almost total decay until its revival in the 18th century.

The existing city was builtby the Ottoman Turks around 1750 and was built over the city of the Crusader era, effectively preserving Crusader town which lay hidden for centuries.

"It's like Pompeii of Roman times — it's a complete city,"

Eliezer Stern, the Israeli archaeologist in charge of Acre

"one of the most exciting sites in the world of archaeology."

Eliezer Stern, the Israeli archaeologist in charge of Acre

As a Crusader city, Acre was the headquarters and under control of the Knights Hospitallers

Known officially as “Knights of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem,” the Hospitallers was founded at Jerusalem during the first Crusade to provide care for poor, sick or injured pilgrims. It became a religious and military order was charged with the care and defense of the Holy Land.

The most important of the subterranean remains of Acre of the Crusaders was the headquarters of the Order of the Hospitallers (the Knights of St. John).

It is an extensive building complex (ca. 4,500 sq. m.) with halls and many rooms built around a broad, open central courtyard.

The Central Courtyard contained a well which provided a secure water supply for the inhabitants.

Castle Well

After the rule of the crusaders, this place was filled with earth and stones to the top.

Much work for the archeologists to empty it again.

Located just off the Central Courtyard was a public latrine with thirty stalls.

LATRINE

The Hospitaller headquarters contains a number of halls built by the Knights for a variety of purposes.

The great hall is the largest of the Knights hall (45 x 30M), and consists of 20 vaults and 15 columns with a square base. It was used as a hospital.

The Refectorium (Latin for "a place to restore") refers to the dining room. This impressive hall is composed of 8 vaults , 10M high, and is 450 square meters. It included a kitchen.

A narrow tunnel connected the dining hall to the "crypt" (Greek for hidden), an underground room under the church of St. John.

This tunnel was used by the Crusaders to allow underground access between the fortress and hidden armory caches.

This hall is not reconstructed

The walls and columns are all from the 12th century.

The roof of this hall is lower than other structures. It has no windows and is outside the main complex .

Therefore it was named the "prisoners hall".

These six halls were the barracks of the members of the Hospitalers.

The halls, 10 meters high, are a single large space divided by arched openings.

In 1099 the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem and turned the Dome of the Rock into a church.

The Templar Knights, a military-religious organization, was established in 1118, and named their organization after the temple: the guards of the temple.

Their task, as defined by the pope, was to protect the pilgrims who visited the Holy Land.

When the Crusaders were driven out from Jerusalem by Saladin in 1187, the Templars retreated to Acre - the Crusaders last stronghold in the Holy Land.

When the Crusaders were driven out from Jerusalem by Saladin in 1187, the Templars retreated to Acre - the Crusaders last stronghold in the Holy Land.

Their Acre fortress, now gone, was protected by mighty walls and four towers.

They also cut a 350M wide tunnel under the rock from the fortress to the south-west side of the city, in order to provide a concealed access to the Crusaders inner port. The tunnel was cut into the rock as a semi-barreled arch, and its ceiling was reinforced by hewn (cut) stones.

The Templar Tunnel

The Templar Tunnel

Leads from the Templar fortress to

the port.

The Templar Tunnel

Leads from the Templar fortress to

the port.

Is about 350 meters long.

The tunnel was rediscovered by chance.

The tunnel was rediscovered by chance.

In 1994 a woman living above the tunnel complained about blocked sewage.

The tunnel was rediscovered by chance.

In 1994 a woman living above the tunnel complained about blocked sewage.

While searching for the underground block, the tunnel was discovered.

The tunnel was rediscovered by chance.

In 1994 a woman living above the tunnel complained about blocked sewage.

While searching for the underground block, the tunnel was discovered.

It was then cleaned out from more than 800 years of dirt and filth.

The tunnel was rediscovered by chance.

In 1994 a woman living above the tunnel complained about blocked sewage.

While searching for the underground block, the tunnel was discovered.

It was then cleaned out from more than 800 years of dirt and filth.

After adding a walkway, lights and access, the tunnel was opened to the public in 1999.