Discover Akko

When looking for a vacation rental in Akko, you can take into account not only the destination but also the historical topics that interest you most when planning your trip. In the wider Northern District destination, two archaeological highlights sit side by side: Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo. The remains at Hazor concern water engineering, a palace, and fortifications; at Megiddo, the temple complex and urban planning are prominent themes. These different emphases can help you tailor your trip to your interests.

Tel Hazor in the Northern District: water engineering and architectural history

A visit to Tel Hazor focuses on the Upper City. Tel Hazor preserves significant remains of an underground water collection system, an advanced engineering achievement adapted to the geography and designed to store water. The vertical shaft of this water system is 45 meters deep, with steps three meters wide cut into its walls. The focus here is therefore both the water-storage system and a specific architectural detail.

The site’s architectural history offers another focus: Solomon’s Gate, a six-chambered gate with two towers, dates from the 10th century BCE. The Canaanite palace was used by the kings of Hazor in the 14th and 13th centuries BCE. The Late Bronze Age palace is described as the most elaborate in Israel and one of the most significant in the Levant. Tel Hazor’s fortifications are considered the finest example of their kind in the area from southern Turkey to the northern Negev.

Tel Hazor National Park can be reached from the north and south via Route 90 in the direction of Ayelet Hashahar. Check your navigation before setting off.

Tel Megiddo in the Northern District: worship and urban planning

Tel Megiddo is one of three tells preserving significant remains of cities with biblical connections and closely associated with events in the Bible. Its Early Bronze Age temple complex is exceptional for the number of its temples, the continuity of its worship, and its documented ritual activities. These features give the site a clear focus on the history of religious practice.

Another perspective comes from Tel Megiddo’s Iron Age orthogonal city plan, which has few parallels in the Levant. The layout complements the temple complex with the perspective of urban planning. Megiddo thus offers a way to consider religious practice and urban order as distinct yet coexisting themes. Orthogonal means arranged at right angles; the city plan can therefore be viewed as a geometrically ordered pattern.

The sites have different emphases: at Hazor, water storage, palace history, and fortifications stand out, while Megiddo brings together temple worship and urban planning.

Discover more destinations: Beit Jann, Shezor, Amka, Yehiam, Clil, Regba, Lappidot, Kinneret.

For the wider travel overview: Northern District.