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Acre - a 4,000 Year Old City
Step back in time as you walk this ancient port city. The former capital of the Crusader kingdom is also the birthplace of the Bahai religion. A Hospitaller Castle, Templar tunnel and the largest prison during the British Mandate (now a museum) can all be found here. Since this issue of Gems in Israel was originally written, much has changed. Acre is now one of Israel's three World Heritage Sites, the Hammam has been restored and the prison is undergoing major renovations.
Contact us about tours in Acre (Akko) and the vicinity
or learn more about our 3-Day World Heritage Tour.
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Acre, Akko, or Acco?
 According to the ancient
Greeks, Hercules was once seriously wounded. He
found the herbs to cure his wounds, in this port
city. Greeks settled here in the third century BC
and apparently, they believed that the word Akko
derived from the Greek word for cure, Aka. This
might explain why the name of this 4,000-year-old
city appears in so many different ways.
Officially, it is usually spelled as Acre (in
English). However, in Hebrew, the city’s name is
pronounced Akko.
[FULL
STORY]
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The Templar Tunnel
 The Templars, who were
also known as the Poor Knights of Christ and of
the Temple of Solomon, built this tunnel. In the
second half of the 12th century they built their
quarter in the southwestern part of Akko.
Discovered in 1994, this tunnel, which was carved
into the bedrock has been open to the public since
August of 1999.
[FULL
STORY]
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The Shrine of Baha' U’ llah
Exquiiste
Gardens
 His full name was Mirza
Husayn 'Ali Nuri, he was the founder of the Baha'i
faith. Known to most by his title, the Baha'
U'llah (which means Glory of God in Arabic), he
spent his time in confinement writing the formal
teachings of the new religon. The shrine where he
is buried just outside of Akko is surrounded by
some of the most beautiful gardens in Israel. It
is also the holiest of shrines, for Bahais who
flock here on pilgrimages from far-flung regions
of the world.
[FULL
STORY]
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Pasha’s Turkish Bathhouse (Hammam)
 Turkish tiles, a domed
roof inlaid with glass circles, and marble floors
are what made the the Pahsa's Hammam the most
magnificent bathhouse of the land, in its day.
[FULL
STORY]
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On the Side - A Pharmacy of Spices
 While it bears no
resemblance to the description that the proprietor
of the shop assigns it, the description is perhaps
nonetheless apt. Kurdi Hamudi is the affable
shopkeeper of what he terms a ‘pharmacy of
spices’. In fact, his business card says, ‘Drug
Store’.
[FULL
STORY]
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An Ominous Former Prison
Museum of the
Underground Prisoners
 This is no ordinary
building; it is a fortress, replete with moat.
From the time of the Crusades until the beginning
of the State – this building was virtually
impenetrable. Built on the ruins of the Crusader
period Citadel by Dahr-el-Omar it was later
re-built by Ahmad Pasha Al Jazzar in the second
half of the 18th century. The British, (who
conquered the city on September 22,1918),
converted it to serve as the main prison in
Palestine during the British Mandate and therein
lies much of its modern-day importance.
[FULL
STORY] Want More Israel Trip Planning Information?
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