Touching the Promised Land 04 | Day 1 - ACRE
- Regina Liu
- Sep 14, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 14
BETWEEN CRUSADER VAULTS & OTTOMAN STREETS
Highlights
The massive sea walls are an iconic feature of Acre, defining the city's postcard-perfect coastline. For centuries, these fortifications have stood as a boundary against ambitious tides, both of the sea and of conquest. It was here in 1799 that the tide of Napoleon Bonaparte's unstoppable eastern campaign finally shattered—a dramatic defeat that seemed to echo a far older, divine decree: "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further."
Biblical Acre: The City of "Hitherto"
Acre stands as one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Its name is profoundly significant; tradition holds it derives from the Hebrew "ad koh," meaning "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further"—the very words the Lord spoke to the waves in Job 38:11. This provides a spiritual lens through which to view the city's long history as a place of limits and divine providence.
In the allotment of the Promised Land, Acre fell to the tribe of Asher. Yet, Scripture notes that Asher did not drive out the Canaanites but lived among them (Judges 1:31-32). A choice made in the dawn of Israel's history, it foreshadowed the complex, layered tapestry of peoples and faiths that characterizes Acre to this day.
The Franciscan Footprint: Custody of the Holy Land
Throughout our journey in Israel and Jordan, we repeatedly encountered the emblem of the Custodia Terræ Sanctæ, the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. This order, established by the followers of St. Francis in 1217, is charged with preserving Christian holy sites. In a remarkable historical link, St. Francis himself arrived in the Holy Land by sailing into Acre with the Crusaders in 1219.
A Tapestry of World Heritage
As noted, Israel is home to many UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the Old City of Acre is a crown jewel among them. The city and its surroundings are also integral to another UNESCO site: the Bahá’í Holy Places in Haifa and the Western Galilee, underscoring the region's profound and layered significance to multiple faiths.
Sightseeing Notes
Led by my guide, we began a journey through time. In under an hour, we descended from the visitor center into the cavernous Knight's Halls, wove through the underground fortress, and re-emerged into the sunlight. We passed through the vibrant Turkish Bazaar, navigated a winding alley of the old town, and plunged back underground at the eastern entrance of the Templars Tunnel… finally emerging onto Ha-Hagana Street by the sparkling sea.
The street was lined with restaurants offering a microcosm of the city's influences: local hummus, English fish and chips, American-style cafés. From one restaurant's terrace, we gazed out at the submerged foundations of the Knights Templar fortress and the lighthouse standing sentinel at the point.
The Acre we walk through today is largely an Ottoman city, but it rests upon the bones of the Crusader kingdom. Many Ottoman structures were built directly upon Crusader foundations. A prime example is the Citadel. I was also told that the beautiful Al-Jazzar Mosque sits on Crusader footings, with its columns reportedly brought from the ruins of Herod the Great's Caesarea. This practice of building layer upon layer means that even known ruins remain buried, as the structures above them are now centuries-old monuments in their own right.
The old city is a mosaic of faiths, housing churches, synagogues, mosques, and numerous small museums. While fascinating, our time was short, and I chose to focus on the ancient echoes rather than the more modern collections. My path through Acre traced the following key sites:
Citadel of Acre
The imposing citadel was built by the Ottomans directly atop the original Knights Hospitaller fortress. During the British Mandate, it served as a prison where many Jewish freedom fighters were held and executed, though some famously orchestrated dramatic escapes. This time, I only viewed the formidable exterior.
Hospitaller Entrance
This is the gateway to the Crusader Kingdom ruins. The complex of Knights' Halls at the foot of the citadel belonged to the Hospitaller order. A wall plan and a detailed model in the open area reconstruct the 13th-century city, helping visitors orient themselves to the sprawling underground complex.
Knights' Hall
The entrance on the side of the citadel leads you "from beneath the Ottoman castle into the grand, interconnected halls of the Crusader castle." This convoluted access point is a physical reminder of the layers of human ambition and the relentless passage of time.
The Turkish Bazaar - A Quick Escape
A bustling, covered alley market dense with shops and restaurants. For someone who struggles with crowded, aromatic spaces, it felt a bit like a more intense version of the City God Temple. I was grateful to make a swift exit.
Templar Tunnel
This remarkable engineering feat connected the Templars' coastal fortress to the eastern port. The tunnel has two levels (wider on top, narrower below), each stretching about 350 meters. We entered from the east and walked westward toward the sea, following the path the knights once did.
Ha-Hagana Street
Emerging from the tunnel, we found ourselves on this lively seaside street. People were parking, taking photos, and enjoying hummus and fresh pomegranate juice. Further along, a café terrace offered the perfect spot to enjoy the sea breeze, an ice cream, and a view of the lighthouse and the haunting remnants of Crusader fortifications just visible above the waves…
We met our car by the roadside, and set our course for the next destination.
If Time Permitted…
Given more time, I would have walked a section of the majestic old city walls by the sea, got on board a small boat into the bay to view this ancient city from the water, and sat down with an iced tea at Al Fanar Café. This time, I only rushed onto their terrace, snapped a few quick photos of the stunning view, and left, worried I might be shooed away.
Touching the Promised Land 05 | DAY 1 – Tel Megiddo
LAYERS OF HISTORY, ECHOES OF WAR
Leaving the coastal tumult of Acre, we journeyed inland toward the quiet, rolling hills of the Jezreel Valley. Here lies a Tel—an artificial mound built of the rubble of countless generations—that whispers of even more ancient conflicts.
It is Tel Megiddo, a place where the dust seems to speak of chariots and kings, and whose names have echoed through Scripture to become the symbol of the final cosmic battle: Armageddon. Layer upon layer of centuries, the smoke of battle still lingers in the piled earth and stones.
