Castel National Park

October 10th 2010

Castel National Park, located within the Judean Mountains, contains the remnants of a Roman period fortress built upon a summit. The fortress had been used to guard the route to Jerusalem during Roman rule, but was later rebuilt during the Crusader period. However, Castel is most known for the important and strategic role the location played during the 1948 War of Independence and the fierce Israeli resistance against Arab factions. Visitors can visit the memorial for the Israeli soldiers who gave their lives for the country, as well as a memorial dedicated to the armored vehicles that worked to break through the Arab blockade around Jerusalem during the 1948 war. Throughout the ruins and trenches are bronze plaques, describing the series of events that occurred at Castel.