From the top of this concrete reservoir, built by the British to store water, there are wonderful views on all sides. In the west, you can see the ruins of the medieval Atlit castle, in the north the city of Haifa, in the east - the gorge of the Oren stream and in the south - Zichron Yaakov on the slopes of Mount Carmel. A wonderful view of the valley opens up and it is not difficult to notice that the valley is cut off from the sea by a ridge of shell rock. It was this ridge that closed the Oren stream and other seasonal rivers descending from the slopes of Mount Carmel, access to the sea. For this reason, the territories to the east of the hill were swampy, and only a narrow isthmus between the hill and the sea was land and suitable for movement. On a wooden fence, you can see a sign mentioning the name of Abraham Dankner, the father of the Atlit salt industry, whose pools are visible along the coastline. Translated with Google Translate
Atlit is a small town south of Haifa. In the shadow of the capital of North, Atlit is an unremarkable province. However, acquaintance with this place will amaze us with the diversity and depth of the events that took place here. Let's start, oddly enough, with the cemetery. Knights and pilgrims are buried there. This is the only cemetery in the Middle East from the Crusades' time in such good condition. Then our path will run to the refugee camp, which has become an immigration museum. Here we are, witnesses, for the incredible fate of people, secret paths of illegal immigration, and a really recreated atmosphere of those years: the presence of barbed wire, guard towers, disinfection, and wooden barracks tarred by the scorching sun. Then, after a short picnic, we will climb to the ruins of the Crusader fortress De Strua. These are the only sites associated with the history of the Crusades that can be visited in Atlit today. And finally, we will go to the secret azure lagoon, where you can swim and find the shells of the famous mollusk, which gave itself the most expensive and prestigious paint of the ancient world - purple.
