Acre
Old Acre from above
Hebrew	עַכּוֹ
(Standard)	ʻAkko
Arabic	عكّا
Government	City
District	North
Population	45,800 (2005)
Jurisdiction	10,300 dunams (10. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The following list of Israeli cities is based on the current index of the There are six main administrative districts of Israel, known in Hebrew as mehozot (מחוזות singular mahoz) and fifteen The North District (מחוז הצפון mehoz hatzafon, also known as the Northern District) is one of Israel 's six administrative districts A dunam or dönüm, dunum, donum is a unit of Area used in the Ottoman Empire and still used in various standardized versions 3 km²)
Mayor	Shimon Lankri

The Old City, early 20th. See also Map

Acre (English pronunciation [ˈɑːkɚ] or [ˈɑːkrə]; Hebrew: עַכּוֹ‎, Akko; Arabic: عكّا‎, 'Akka; Turkish: Akka)^[1] also known as Akko, is a city in the Western Galilee area of northern Israel. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. "Galil" redirects here For the weapon see IMI Galil. Galilee (הגליל ha-Galil, lit the province, For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. It is situated on a low promontory at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Haifa Bay (מפרץ חיפה Mifratz Haifa) is a small bay along the Mediterranean coast of Northern Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Acre had a population 45,800 at the end of 2005. The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (הלשכה המרכזית לסטטיסטיקה HaLishka HaMerkazit LeStatistika) abbreviated CBS, is an Israeli From ancient times, Acre was regarded as the key to the Levant because of its strategic coastal location. See also Names of the Levant The Levant (lə'vænt is a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia, roughly bounded on the north by the

History

Acre is probably to be identified with the Aak of the tribute-lists of Thutmose III (c. Thutmose III (sometimes read as Thutmosis or Tuthmosis III and meaning Thoth is Born) was the sixth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth 1500 BC), and it is certainly the Akka of the Amarna letters. The Amarna letters (sometimes "Amarna correspondence" or "Amarna tablets" are an archive of correspondence on Clay tablets mostly diplomatic To the Israelites it was known as Akko, but it is mentioned only once in the Hebrew Bible, namely Judges 1:31, as one of the places from which the Israelites did not drive out the Canaanite inhabitants. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. Book of Judges ( Hebrew: Sefer Shoftim ספר שופטים is a book of the Bible originally written in Hebrew. Canaanites redirects here For the 1940s social and political movement in Israel, see Canaanites (movement. Theoretically it was in the territory of the tribe of Asher, and Josephus assigns it by name to the district of one of Solomon's provincial governors. Asher ( in the Book of Genesis, is the second son of Jacob and Zilpah, and the founder of the Tribe of Asher. Josephus (AD 37 – c 100 also known as Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph son of Matthias and after he became a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" Throughout the period of Israelite domination, however, its political connections were always with Phoenicia rather than with the Philistines: thus, around 725 BC it joined Sidon and Tyre in a revolt against Shalmaneser V. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun The Philistines ( Hebrew פלשתים plishtim) (see "other uses" below were a people who inhabited the southern coast of Canaan, Sidon,or Saïda, ( Arabic ar صيدا; Phoenician phoenician yodh Tyre ( Arabic صور Ṣūr, Phoenician Phoenician wawsvg|12px|ו]] Ṣur, Hebrew Shalmaneser V ( Akkadian: akk Šulmanu-ašarid) was King of Assyria from 727 to 722 BC It had a stormy history during the three centuries preceding the Christian era. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings

Greek and Roman periods

The Greek historians name it Ake (Josephus calls it also Akre); but the name was changed to Antiochia Ptolemais shortly after Alexander the Great's conquest, and then to Ptolemais, probably by Ptolemy Soter, after the partition of the kingdom of Alexander the Great. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' The Ptolemaic dynasty (sometimes also known as the Lagids, from the name of Ptolemy I's father Lagus) was a Hellenistic Macedonian royal family Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' ^[2]

Strabo refers to the city as once a rendezvous for the Persians in their expeditions against Egypt. Strabo ( Greek: Στράβων 63/64 BC – ca AD 24 was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. About 165 BC Simon Maccabaeus defeated the Syrians in many battles in Galilee, and drove them into Ptolemais. Simon Maccabaeus (died 135 BCE was a son of Mattathias and thus a member of the Hasmonean family "Galil" redirects here For the weapon see IMI Galil. Galilee (הגליל ha-Galil, lit the province, About 153 BC Alexander Balas, son of Antiochus Epiphanes, contesting the Syrian crown with Demetrius, seized the city, which opened its gates to him. Alexander Balas ( Greek) ruler of the Greek Seleucid kingdom 150-146 BC was a native of Smyrna of humble origin but gave himself Another Antiochus IV Epiphanes was king in Commagene under Caligula and Claudius. Demetrius (from Greek &mdash Δημήτριος male form of Demeter) is the name of several notable people from Classical antiquity and Demetrius offered many bribes to the Maccabees to obtain Jewish support against his rival, including the revenues of Ptolemais for the benefit of the Temple in Jerusalem, but in vain. The Maccabees ( Hebrew: מכבים or מקבים, Makabim or Maqabim; Greek Μακκαβαῖοι, /makav'εï/ were PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name Jonathan Maccabaeus threw in his lot with Alexander, and in 150 BC he was received by him with great honour in Ptolemais. Jonathan Maccabaeus was leader of the Hasmonean Dynasty of Judea from 161 to 143 BCE Some years later, however, Tryphon, an officer of the Syrians, who had grown suspicious of the Maccabees, enticed Jonathan into Ptolemais and there treacherously took him prisoner.

The city was also assaulted and captured by Alexander Jannaeus, by Cleopatra VII of Egypt and by Tigranes II of Armenia. Alexander Jannaeus (also known as Alexander Jannai/Yannai) king of Judea from (103 BCE to 76 BCE son of John Hyrcanus, inherited the throne from his Cleopatra VII Philopator (in Greek, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ; January 69 BC &ndash 30 BC was a Hellenistic ruler of Egypt This article is about a king of Armenia in the 1st century BCE. Here Herod built a gymnasium, and here the Jews met Petronius, sent to set up statues of the emperor in the Temple, and persuaded him to turn back. The gymnasium in Ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public Games It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual Petronius (ca 27–66 was a Roman writer of the Neronian age he was a noted satirist. A temple (from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities such as prayer and sacrifice or analogous rites St Paul spent a day in Ptolemais (Acts 21:7). Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and A Roman colonia was established at the city, Colonia Claudii Cæsaris. A Roman colonia (plural coloniae) was originally a Roman outpost established in conquered territory to secure it ^[3]

Acre harbour

Arab rule and the Crusades

The Arabs captured the city in AD 638 and held it until the Crusaders conquered Acre in 1104. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents The Crusaders made the town their chief port in Palestine. It was re-taken by Saladin in 1187, besieged by Guy of Lusignan in 1189 at the Siege of Acre, and again captured by Richard I of England in 1191. Salahadin Ayyubi ( Arabic:صلاح الدين يوسف بن أيوب Kurdish: سه‌لاحه‌دین ئه‌یوبی Selah'edînê Eyubî; c Guy of Lusignan, Guy of Jerusalem or Guy of Cyprus (c 1150 or 1159/1160 &ndash Nicosia, July 18, 1194) was a French The Siege of Acre was the first confrontation of the Third Crusade, lasting from August 28, 1189 until July 12, 1191, and the Richard I (8 September 1157 &ndash 6 April 1199 was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death It then became the capital of the remnant of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1192. This article is about the Christian kingdom For the history of the city see History of Jerusalem The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Christian In 1229 it was placed under the control of the Knights Hospitaller (whence came one of its alternative names). The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St It was the final stronghold of the Crusader state, and fell to the Mameluks in a bloody siege in 1291. The Siege of Acre (also called the Fall of Acre) took place in 1291 and resulted in the loss of the Crusader -control city of Acre to the Muslims The Ottomans under Sultan Selim I captured the city in 1517, after which it fell into almost total decay. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Selim I ( Ottoman: سليم الأول, Turkish: ISelim; also known as "the Grim" or "the Brave" Yavuz in Maundrell in 1697 found it a complete ruin, save for a khan (caravanserai) occupied by some French merchants, a mosque and a few poor cottages. A caravanserai ( kārvānsarā, Turkish kervansaray) was a roadside Inn where travelers could rest and recover from the day's journey A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger

The Crusaders called the city "Acre" or "Saint-Jean d'Acre" since they mistakenly identified it with the Philistine city of Ekron, in southern Palestine. The Philistines ( Hebrew פלשתים plishtim) (see "other uses" below were a people who inhabited the southern coast of Canaan, The city of Ekron (עֶקְרוֹן ʿeqrōn, also transliterated Accaron) Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.

Ottoman rule

The Mosque of Jezzar Pasha in Acre. The Jezzar Pasha Mosque ( جامع جزار باشا) is located on al-Jezzar Street inside the walls of the old city of Acre, overlooking the eastern Mediterranean The mosque was built by Ottoman governor Jezzar Pasha between 1800 and 1814

The Khan al-Umdan in the old city of Acre

Towards the end of the 18th century it revived under the rule of Dhaher al-Omar, the local sheikh: his successor, Jezzar Pasha, governor of Damascus, improved and fortified it, but by heavy imposts secured for himself all the benefits derived from his improvements. Ahmed al-Jazzar (Arabic أحمد الجزار born 1720 in Bosnia, died 1804 in Ottoman Acre Damascus Wiliyah) was the ruler of Akko or Acre Dhaher al-Omar (also Dahar Daher (Arabic ظاهر العمر الزيداني zāhir al-`umar az-zaydānī, born ca Ahmed al-Jazzar (Arabic أحمد الجزار born 1720 in Bosnia, died 1804 in Ottoman Acre Damascus Wiliyah) was the ruler of Akko or Acre Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. About 1780 Jezzar peremptorily banished the French trading colony, in spite of protests from the French government, and refused to receive a consul.

In 1799 Napoleon, in pursuance of his scheme for raising a Syrian rebellion against Turkish domination, appeared before Acre, but after a siege of two months (March–May) was repulsed by the Turks, aided by Sir Sidney Smith and a force of British sailors. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. Sir William Sidney Smith KCB ( 21 June 1764 &ndash 26 May 1840) usually known as Sir Sidney Smith, was the British Having lost his siege cannons to Smith, Napoleon attempted to lay siege to the walled city defended by Ottoman troops on 20 March 1799, using only his infantry and small-caliber cannons, a strategy which failed, leading to his retreat two months later on 21 May. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. Year 1799 ( MDCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily.

Jezzar was succeeded on his death by his son Suleiman, under whose milder rule the town advanced in prosperity till 1831, when Ibrahim Pasha besieged and reduced the town and destroyed its buildings. Ibrahim Basha (إبراهيم باشا ‎ (1789 &ndash November 10 1848) a 19th century general of Egypt. On 4 November 1840 it was bombarded by the allied British, Austrian and French squadrons, and in the following year restored to Turkish rule. Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Year 1840 ( MDCCCXL) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich

British Mandate

The Old City as seen today

Further information: Acre Prison break

The province included the modern cities of Sidon, Tyre, Nabatiye, Nahariyya, and some other inland villages and towns such as Umm al-Faraj, Mazra'a, and Dayr al-Qassi. The Acre Prison break (הפריצה לכלא עכו was an operation executed by the Irgun on 4 May 1947 in the British Mandate of Palestine, in which its men broke Sidon,or Saïda, ( Arabic ar صيدا; Phoenician phoenician yodh Tyre ( Arabic صور Ṣūr, Phoenician Phoenician wawsvg|12px|ו]] Ṣur, Hebrew Nabatieh ( Arabic: النبطية al-Nabatiya) or Nabatiye, is the capital city of Nabatieh Governorate, southern Lebanon. Nahariya (נַהֲרִיָּה is a City with an estimated population of 50000 located in Northern Israel, on the Mediterranean sea, just south Umm al-Faraj (أم الفرج Azerbaijani Ummi Faraj known to the Crusaders as La Fierge) was a Palestinian village located 11 kilometres Mazra'a (المزرعة מזרעה is an Arab town ( local council) in northern Israel. Dayr al-Qassi' or Deir el-Qasi (دير القاسي is a former Palestinian village located 26km northeast of the city of Acre.

The citadel of Acre was used by the British as a prison and as a location for a gallows. A citadel is a fortress for protecting a Town, sometimes incorporating a Castle. A gallows is a frame typically wooden used for execution by Hanging. Many political prisoners, mainly Jewish underground movement activists, such as Zeev Jabotinsky and Shlomo Ben-Yosef, were jailed in the citadel-prison of Acre. A political prisoner is someone held in Prison or otherwise detained perhaps under House arrest, for his or her involvement in political activity Ze'ev Jabotinsky MBE (זאב ז'בוטינסקי Зеэв Жаботинский born Vladimir Yevgenyevich Zhabotinsky on 18 October 1880 Shlomo Ben-Yosef (b May 7, 1913 in Poland as Shalom Tabachnik, d Ben-Yosef, an Irgun activist, was the first Jew to be executed under the British mandate. Irgun (ארגון shorthand for HaIrgun HaTzva'i HaLe'umi BeEretz Yisra'el, he הארגון הצבאי הלאומי בארץ ישראל "National Military Organization The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement

On May 4, 1947, the Irgun broke into the Acre citadel-prison in order to release Jewish activists imprisoned there by the British. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Some 255 inmates escaped, the majority Arab. ^[4] Twenty-seven prisoners from armed Jewish groups escaped (20 from Irgun, seven from Lehi). Irgun (ארגון shorthand for HaIrgun HaTzva'i HaLe'umi BeEretz Yisra'el, he הארגון הצבאי הלאומי בארץ ישראל "National Military Organization Lehi ('lɛxi Hebrew acronym for Lohamei Herut Israel, "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel" לח"י - לוחמי חירות In the immediate aftermath of the raid, nine were killed, and five attackers and eight escapees were captured.

Despite the heavy toll in human lives, the action was described by foreign journalists as "the greatest jail break in history. " The London Ha'aretz correspondent wrote on May 5:

"The attack on Acre jail has been seen here as a serious blow to British prestige. (הארץ "The land" referring to the Land of Israel) founded in 1918 is Israel 's oldest Daily newspaper. Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John . . Military circles described the attack as a strategic masterpiece. "

The New York Herald Tribune wrote that the underground had carried out "an ambitious mission, their most challenging so far, in perfect fashion. The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald. " Of the five captured attackers, three who had been carrying weapons were tried and sentenced to death; the other two, minors who were unarmed when captured, received life sentences. Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. Life imprisonment or life incarceration is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime often for most ^[5]

Israeli rule

Acre fell under territory assigned by the 1947 UN Partition Plan to a future Arab State in Palestine. The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine or United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 was a plan approved by the General Assembly on November 29 The plan was rejected by the Palestinian Arabs, leading to the 1948 Palestine war. The 1948 Palestine war refers to the events that happened in Palestine between the vote on the partition plan of Palestine on November 30, 1947 Acre was besieged by the Jewish Haganah. Haganah ( Hebrew: "The Defense" ההגנה was a Jewish Paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine During the siege, a typhoid fever outbreak in the city occurred, and it was suspected that the Haganah used typhus as a biological weapon against the inhabitants. Typhoid fever, also known as enteric fever, bilious fever, Yellow Jack or commonly just typhoid, is an illness caused by the Bacterium Typhus is any of several similar diseases caused by Louse -borne bacteria Biological warfare (BW — known as a germ warfare, biological weapons and bioweaponry — is the use of any Pathogen ( Bacterium ^[6][7] The city fell on 17 May 1948 and about three-fourths of its Arab population (estimated at 13,000 in 1944) became displaced as a result. Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

The old city of Acre has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and contains a tunnel leading to a 13th century fortress of the Knights Templar. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 Since the 1990s, there are vast works of archeological excavations and preservations of ancient structures in progress. Acre has one of the highest proportions of non-Jews of any of Israel's cities with an Arab and Druze population of approximately 27. The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon 6%, as well as a small community of Bahá'ís, who regard Acre as the most sacred city in their faith. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind The city is a magnet for tourists and the home of the country's steel industry. It also produces exports including iron, chemicals, and textiles.

Acre today

Old City of Acre*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party	Israel
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iii, v
Reference	1042
Region†	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	2001  (25th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO.

19th century mortar, facing the sea, in the walls of Acre

The Acre harbour in 2005

Acre's Old City has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex As of 2008 there are a total of 878 World Heritage Sites located in 145 "State Parties" For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. Asia Minor, Cyprus, all of the Aegean Islands, the Canaries A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex A mortar is a muzzle-loading Indirect fire weapon that fires shells at low velocities short ranges and high-arcing ballistic trajectories United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex Since the 1990s, the Old Acre Development Company has been carrying out important conservation work, and many archeological digs are under way. Among the city's many historical landmarks is an underground passageway leading to a fortress of the Knights Templar from the 13th century. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order

The walls

In 1750, Daher El-Omar, the ruler of Acre, utilized the remnants of the Crusader walls as a foundation for his walls. Dhaher al-Omar (also Dahar Daher (Arabic ظاهر العمر الزيداني zāhir al-`umar az-zaydānī, born ca The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents They were reinforced between 1775 and 1799 by Jezzar Pasha and survived Napoleon's siege. Ahmed al-Jazzar (Arabic أحمد الجزار born 1720 in Bosnia, died 1804 in Ottoman Acre Damascus Wiliyah) was the ruler of Akko or Acre Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The wall was thin: its height was 10 to 13 metres (33 to 43 feet) and its thickness only one metre (3 ft).

A heavy land defense wall was built north and east to the city in 1800-1814 by Jezzar Pasha (called by the locals Al-Jezzar) and his Jewish advisor Haim Farkhi. See also List of cities with defensive walls A defensive wall is a Fortification used to defend a city or settlement from potential aggressors Ahmed al-Jazzar (Arabic أحمد الجزار born 1720 in Bosnia, died 1804 in Ottoman Acre Damascus Wiliyah) was the ruler of Akko or Acre Haim Farhi (also Chaim, Farkhi) (חיים פרחי حاييم فرحي also known as Haim "El Muallim" lit This wall is the first notable thing to come into sight when coming to Acre. It is a modern counter artillery fortification which includes a thick defensive wall, a dry moat, cannon outposts and three Burges (large defensive towers). Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for See also List of cities with defensive walls A defensive wall is a Fortification used to defend a city or settlement from potential aggressors A moat is deep broad Trench, usually filled with Water, that surrounds a structure installation or town normally to provide it with a preliminary line of | NOTE Throughout this article "cannon" is used as BOTH the || singular and plural Towers are tall human-made Structures that are always taller than they are wide usually by a significant Margin.

The sea wall, which remains mostly complete, is the original El-Omar's wall that was reinforced by al-Jezzar.

Jezzar Pasha Mosque

Main article: Mosque of Jezzar Pasha

The Mosque of Jezzar Pasha was built by Jezzar Pasha in 1781. The Jezzar Pasha Mosque ( جامع جزار باشا) is located on al-Jezzar Street inside the walls of the old city of Acre, overlooking the eastern Mediterranean The Jezzar Pasha Mosque ( جامع جزار باشا) is located on al-Jezzar Street inside the walls of the old city of Acre, overlooking the eastern Mediterranean Ahmed al-Jazzar (Arabic أحمد الجزار born 1720 in Bosnia, died 1804 in Ottoman Acre Damascus Wiliyah) was the ruler of Akko or Acre Jezzar Pasha and his successor Suleiman Pasha are both buried in a small graveyard adjacent to the mosque.

Hamam al-Basha

Built in 1795 by Jezzar Pasha, Acre's hammam has a series of hot rooms and a hexagonal steam room with a marble fountain. The Turkish bath (hamam from حمّام) is the Middle Eastern variant of a steam bath, which can be categorized as a wet relative of the It is notable mainly because it was used by the Irgun as a bridge to break into the citadel's prison. Irgun (ארגון shorthand for HaIrgun HaTzva'i HaLe'umi BeEretz Yisra'el, he הארגון הצבאי הלאומי בארץ ישראל "National Military Organization

The Citadel

The current building which consists the citadel of Acre is an Ottoman fortification, built on the foundation of the Hospitallerian citadel. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St The citadel was part of the city's defensive formation, reinforcing the northern wall.

During the 20th century the citadel was used mainly as a prison and as the site for a gallows. A citadel is a fortress for protecting a Town, sometimes incorporating a Castle. A prison, penitentiary, or correctional facility is a place in which individuals are physically confined or interned and usually deprived of a range of A gallows is a frame typically wooden used for execution by Hanging. During the British mandate period, activists of Jewish Zionist resistance movements were held prisoner there; some were executed there. The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement

Today, the citadel of Acre contains the following:

• The Ottoman fortifications (including the tower and the moat).
• Acre Old City Visitor Centers.
• The "enchanted garden": a new garden that is planted according to historical description of the garden that was there during the Crusades period. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents
• Acre's British prison and the gallows.
• Memorial for Jewish resistance fighters executed during the British mandate.
• A Museum for the Jewish resistance prisoners, מוזיאון אסירי המחתרות .
• Prison cell of Bahá'u'lláh, Founder of the Bahá'í Faith. Bahá'u'lláh ( ba-haa-ol-laa "Glory of God" ( November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892) born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind
• Knights' Halls (see below).

As of August 2004, the citadel is partly closed due to preservation work. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

The Knights' Halls

Underneath the Citadel in the Knights Halls

Under the citadel and prison of Acre, archeological excavations revealed a complex of halls, which was built and used by the Hospitallers Knights. A citadel is a fortress for protecting a Town, sometimes incorporating a Castle. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St This complex was a part of the Hospitallers' citadel, which was combined in the northern wall of Acre. A citadel is a fortress for protecting a Town, sometimes incorporating a Castle. A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area

The complex includes:

• Six semi-joint halls.
• One large hall, recently excavated.
• Dungeon.
• Dining room (with a tunnel).
• Posta and Crypta (remains of an ancient Gothic church).

(Those interested in medieval European remains should also visit the Church of Saint George and adjacent houses at the Genovese Square (called Kikar ha-Genovezim or Kikar Genoa in Hebrew). There were also residential quarters and marketplaces run by merchants from Pisa and Amalfi in Crusader and medieval Acre, so today there are also Pisa and Amalfi Squares in the old city. )

Bahá'í holy places

The corner of the shrine where Bahá'u'lláh is buried. Located in Bahjí near Acre Israel, the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh is the Most holy place for Bahá'ís and represents their Qiblih

There are many Bahá'í holy places in and around Acre. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind They originate from Bahá'u'lláh's imprisonment in the Citadel during Ottoman Rule. Bahá'u'lláh ( ba-haa-ol-laa "Glory of God" ( November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892) born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri The Bahá'í World Centre buildings are buildings that are part of the Bahá'í World Centre in Israel. The final years of Bahá'u'lláh's life were spent in the Mansion of Bahjí, just outside Acre, even though he was still formally a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire. The Mansion of Bahjí is a term used to describe a summer house in Acre Israel, where Bahá'u'lláh died in 1892

Bahá'u'lláh died on 29 May 1892 in Bahjí, and his shrine is the most holy place for Bahá'ís — their Qiblih, the location that Bahá'ís should face when saying their daily obligatory prayers. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1892 ( MDCCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Located in Bahjí near Acre Israel, the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh is the Most holy place for Bahá'ís and represents their Qiblih In the Bahá'í Faith the Qiblih ( is the location that Bahá'ís should face when saying their daily obligatory prayers, and is fixed at the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh It contains the remains of Bahá'u'lláh and is near the spot where he died in the Mansion of Bahjí.

Other Bahá'í holy places in Acre include the House of `Abbúd (where Bahá'u'lláh and his family resided) and the House of `Abdu'lláh Páshá (where later 'Abdu'l-Bahá resided with his family), and the Garden of Ridván where Bahá'u'lláh enjoyed spending the later part of his life. The Bahá'í World Centre buildings are buildings that are part of the Bahá'í World Centre in Israel. The Bahá'í World Centre buildings are buildings that are part of the Bahá'í World Centre in Israel. The Bahá'í World Centre buildings are buildings that are part of the Bahá'í World Centre in Israel.

Sports

The city's major football team Hapoel Acre currently play in Liga Leumit, the second tier of Israeli football. Hapoel Acre FC (הפועל עכו Hapoel Akko) is an Israeli football club based in Acre. Structure There are 12 clubs in the Liga Leumit Each team plays thirty three rounds of matches as determined by the Israel Football Association and is awarded three points Football (כדורגל Kaduregel) is the unofficial national sport of Israel. They did play briefly in the top division during the 1970s, but have spent the majority of their history in the lower leagues.

Transportation

Acre has a central bus station which is served by Egged buses offering services within the city and extensive inter-city services to major cities and towns as Haifa, Nahariya, Karmiel, Safed, Kiryat Shmona, Sakhnin, as well as lines connecting it to nearby smaller villages. Egged Israel Transport Cooperative Society Ltd (אגד is the largest Bus company in Israel, and the second largest in the world (after London Buses Haifa (חֵיפָה; حَيْفَا) is the largest City in Northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country with Nahariya (נַהֲרִיָּה is a City with an estimated population of 50000 located in Northern Israel, on the Mediterranean sea, just south Karmiel (כַּרְמִיאֵל (lit Vineyard of God) is a city in northern Israel. Safed (צְפַת pronounced Tsfat; صفد pronounced Safad) is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Kiryat Shmona (קִרְיַת שְׁמוֹנָה lit City of the Eight is a City located in the North District of Israel on the western slopes Sakhnin (سخنين סַחְ'נִין or Sikhnin) is an Arab Israeli city in Israel 's North District. The city is also served by the Acre Railway Station. Acre Railway Station (תחנת הרכבת עכו Taḥanat HaRakevet Akko) is an Israel Railways Passenger station serving the city of Acre

Cultural references

The city of Acre is one of four main cities the player character, Altaïr, can visit in the video game Assassin's Creed for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Assassin's Creed is a Video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. A personal computer ( PC) is any Computer whose original sales price size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated The Xbox 360 is the second Video game console produced by Microsoft, and was developed in cooperation with IBM, ATI, and SiS.

Sister cities

• Pisa, Italy
• Bregenz, Austria
• Canton, Ohio, United States
• Deerfield Beach, Florida, United States [1]

See also

• Crusade
• Daher El-Omar
• District of Acre
• Haim Farkhi
• Spring of the Cow

Notes and references

External links

• Old City of Acre - The Official Website (Old Acre Development Company - OADC )
• Acre's History (Jewish Virtual Library)
• The Acre prison break (Jewish Virtual Library)
• Acre travel home page (TripTouch. com)
• Names by which Acre has been known & pictures (Bibleplaces. com)
• Hazlitt's Classical Gazetteer
• Acre Walls (OADC)
• The Tourists Guide to Acre
• Photos of Acco
• Photo gallery of the old city of Acco