Old City of Acre
Ancient port city and UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Israel.
The Old City of Acre, the historic heart of the northern Israeli city, is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural, architectural, and social legacy. This ancient port settlement dates back to the Bronze Age and, thanks to its strategic coastal position, served as a crucial harbor for centuries. It saw many rulers and periods of both growth and decline, reaching its height as the capital of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the late 1100s and early 1200s. Its importance waned starting in the 1800s as the nearby port of Haifa grew. The current Old City, enclosed by historic defensive walls and its seaport, largely reflects Ottoman-era construction from the 1700s and 1800s, with typical features like a citadel, mosque ruins, bathhouses, a caravanserai, and remnants of a moat. Below and above today’s street level, the medieval street layout of the Crusader city remains largely intact. The entire collection of Acre’s monuments was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001.
Since 1990, archaeological and conservation work has been ongoing, managed by the Old Acre Development Company Ltd., which was founded in 1967. This company works with municipal authorities under the Israel Ministry of Tourism, overseeing both public and private construction in the Old City and advising on development. Published research has helped make the Old City a major tourist destination. The historic urban area within the walls holds significant historical, cultural, and touristic value.
Acre’s fortifications evolved over many centuries. During the Crusades, the city was larger and had different wall lines. The current walls, built between 1750 and 1814, date to the Ottoman period. Zahir al-Umar quickly constructed the first wall from 1750 to 1751, often using remnants of Crusader walls. It encircled the city from land and sea, standing 10 to 13 meters high and up to 1 meter thick. The eastern side had the Land Gate, and the southern side had the Sea Gate leading to the port. Jazzar Pasha reinforced the walls from 1775 to 1779, with further work continuing until 1814 to better resist artillery fire. The walls form a permanent, irregular pentagon fortification with three main wall lines, a moat, counterscarp, towers, and bastions. Today, the preserved fortifications surround the Old City on all sides; sections along the shoreline act as reinforced breakwaters. The la
- Location
- Northern Israel
- UNESCO Inscription
- 2001
- Peak Period
- Late 12th–early 13th centuries (capital of Kingdom of Jerusalem)
- Current Walls Built
- 1750–1814 (Ottoman period)
- Key Rulers
- Zahir al-Umar, Jazzar Pasha
- Significant Feature
- Underground Crusader city preserved 8 meters below current street level
Lore & Background
The Old City of Acre is an ancient port city, with a history dating back to the Bronze Age. Due to its location providing access to Israel, it was a significant port for centuries. The city experienced periods of prosperity and decline, frequently changing hands. It reached its peak in the late 12th and early 13th centuries as the capital of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. From the 19th century, its importance diminished in favor of the nearby port city of Haifa.
The present city reflects characteristics of Ottoman settlements from the 18th and 19th centuries. The current defensive walls were built between 1750 and 1814, with the first wall constructed by Zahir al-Umar between 1750 and 1751 using remnants of Crusader walls. The walls were reinforced by Jazzar Pasha between 1775 and 1779, with further work continuing until 1814. The citadel, built between 1775 and 1805 by Jazzar Pasha on the foundations of an older Crusader fortress, was later repurposed by the British as a prison in the 1920s.
Beneath the citadel, a complex of underground halls used by the Knights Hospitaller was discovered, buried under rubble since 1291. The current city level is 8 meters above the Crusader era. The fortress comprises four wings surrounding an open courtyard spanning 1,200 m². The remains of the Crusader city lie largely intact both above and below the current street level, preserving a medieval street layout.
Reader's Guide
The Old City of Acre holds significant historical, cultural, and touristic value as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. Its ensemble of monuments, including the defensive walls, citadel, and underground Crusader city, provides a layered record of Bronze Age, Crusader, and Ottoman periods. The fortification system, developed over centuries, features an irregular pentagon shape with three main wall lines, a moat, towers, and bastions. The citadel now houses the Museum of Underground Prisoners, dedicated to the Jewish resistance during Mandatory Palestine, and the Okashi Art Museum. The underground Crusader city, with its Hospitaller fortress, offers rare insights into medieval architecture and urban planning. Archaeological and conservation work has been ongoing since 1990, overseen by the Old Acre Development Company Ltd., established in 1967, which collaborates with municipal authorities and the Israel Ministry of Tourism. These efforts have made the Old City a major tourist destination, while preserving its historic urban ensemble within the defensive walls.
Did You Know?
- The current city level is 8 meters above the Crusader era, leaving the Crusader fortress deep underground.
- The citadel was built between 1775 and 1805 by Jazzar Pasha on the foundations of an older Crusader fortress.
- The first Ottoman wall was hastily built by Zahir al-Umar between 1750 and 1751 using remnants of Crusader walls.
- The Ramchal Synagogue was seized in 1758 by Bedouin ruler Zahir al-Umar and converted into the al-Mu'allak Mosque.
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