Apollonia National Park

Loving Herzliya Pituach? People come from all over the world to relax on its white sand beaches, swim in the sea, chill at the bar scene and enjoy fine dining. But did you know that this part of Israel has been a popular place for 2,600 years?
 
That’s right. It all started in the sixth century BCE with the Phoenicians. Loving the location and beauty, they named this spot after their god Reshef and so place became known as Arshuf. Here they manufactured and traded purple dye with other countries along the Mediterranean.

​The Greeks also coveted this spot and so they took over and renamed it Apollonia after their god Apollo. And then the Romans arrived, living here between the first and third centuries CE. 

It was the Byzantines who transformed the place into a large urban center between the fourth and seventh centuries. Renaming it Sozousa, they built a glass factory, a church and a port. Their impressive seaside city spread across 280 dunams.

Moslem conquerors arrived in the seventh century. Building fortifying walls and a market place, they renamed it Arsuf and held onto it until the Crusaders took over.

​The Crusaders were serious about protecting their treasure – they built a fortress that had three sets of walls, a moat and a harbor. However, these protective walls did not keep the Mameluke Sultan Baibars out who, in 1265, took 30 days to besiege the city. When they conquered it, they razed it to the ground.
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This picturesque spot then sat in ruins until a mosque was built on the site in the 14th century. The British Police were based here in 1942 to search out illegal immigrant ships.

A lot has happened on these shores over two millennia. Stroll south down the beach and past the last lifeguard station. Where the sandy beach ends, you will see ruins of towers and ancient bricked walls that have fallen into the sea. You may even find tiny pieces of turquoise glass – perhaps these pieces date back to the glass factory.
 
Look up sandstone ridge and you will see the archeological site. Find out more by visiting Tel Arsuf National Park as it houses the secrets to Herzliya’s past. Intensive excavations have revealed an old Roman villa with sea views that dates back to the first century. There are parts of a 4.5-meter Crusader moat, a Crusader castle and parts of the fortress. However, traces of ancient history do remain to this day. To date, 12 glass furnaces have been found in the area.

Cvilizations have come and gone over thousands of years, no doubt attracted by the natural beauty of this area. And today, we continue this tradition by flocking to the beaches in Herzliya Pituach.
 
Visiting Herzliya? Make sure you include a visit to this national park.
 
Summer hours: Sunday – Thursday and Saturday, 8am-5pm
Friday and holiday eves: 8am-4pm
Winter hours: Sunday – Thursday and Saturday, 8am-4pm
Friday and holiday eves: 8am-3pm
(No entrance to the park one hour before closing time.)