Belvoir (Kokhav HaYarden) National Park

March 22nd 2011

Go back to the time of the crusaders with a visit to Belvoir National Park located just above the Jordan Valley. The central attraction is a a recreation of the excavated Crusader fortress discovered at the site. The fortress dates back to the twelfth century and boasts a 20-meter-wide, 12-meter-deep moat used by the crusaders to defend themselves from Saladin’s forces. Not only will you be impressed by the structure’s mighty towers, but you’ll also enjoy the sculptures by Israeli artist Yigael Tumarkin that mark the site. In Hebrew, the fortress is called Kokhav HaYarden, named for the ancient Jewish village of Kokhav located nearby. The National Parks Authority attributed many of the stones that form the fortress to have originated from the third century synagogue in Kokhav.