- Type
- Castle
- Built
- 12th century
- Coordinates
- 32.0808°, 34.9569°
History
The hill watched a narrow passage of the coastal highway between the springs of the Yarkon and the slopes of Samaria; in Hasmonean times a Jewish settlement called Migdal Afek stood here until the Romans destroyed it in 67 CE. In the early 12th century the Ibelin family built the castle of Mirabel on the site, where in 1152 supporters of Queen Melisende held out during her struggle for the throne with her son Baldwin III. Muslim forces took the fortress in 1187, and it was demolished during the Third Crusade. In the 19th century Sheikh Sadek built a fortified manor on the ruins, which gave rise to the name Majdal al-Sadiq, in Hebrew Migdal Tsedek. The inhabitants of the Arab village of Majdal Yaba were expelled in July 1948, and since 1994 the area has been a national park.
What to see
The national park is run by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. After years of closure because of vandalism and restoration work begun in 2016, it reopened in March 2021 as part of a larger park. The hilltop holds the ruins of the sheikhs' two-storey stronghold, among which remains of the Crusader castle can be made out, and one room keeps a lintel with the Greek inscription of a Byzantine martyrion. The old Migdal Tsedek quarries lie nearby.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q568521
Popularity: articles about this site in 10 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).