Kastra - the old city in Haifa

The site known as the Sword of Kastra is in the southern part of the city on the western spurs of the Carmel about one and a half km from the beach. The ancient city of Kastra was a wealthy trading city, which was inhabited continuously from the 4th century AD until the Muslim conquest in the 7th century and was discovered at the foot of the western spur of the Carmel Excavations made at the site revealed residential buildings and paved streets, courtyards, a water supply system for the city, drainage canals, oil mills for oil production and wine production tanks that testified to an affluent trading city. There is no doubt that the city enjoyed the economic advantages of a city close to the sea with the economic hinterland of the Carmel Ridge .... a bit like Haifa?

A trip between past and present

Start your visit at the beautiful Ana Hostel at the foot of the Carmel, after which you can continue with a gentle and easy walk to the remains that remain on the site itself. Already in the lobby of the hostel you can see a section of the mosaic floor that decorated the floor of the northern church that was uncovered in the old city, and it is decorated with geometric patterns and dark colors on a light background Inside the lobby are displayed other items that testify to the wealth of the old city and the prosperous commercial life that existed there: cooking pots, tableware, candles and coins, glassware and jewelry.

Kastra - the trade and art center

After the tour of the site and among its remains, you can continue to Kastra, the trade and art center located behind the Haifa Mall. There on the top floor, hidden among the shops, is a tiny museum that regularly exhibits additional items that were uncovered and discovered on the site.

Many glass vessels, jewelry jars and perfumery vessels were found in the tombs that were uncovered at the site and they were brought as burial offerings starting from the end of the Roman period and the beginning of the Byzantine period. You can get an impression of these tools in the display in the museum.

Excavations in place

Between the years 1965-1990, various excavations and surveys were conducted at the site. In the years 1993-1997, a large rescue excavation was carried out on behalf of the Antiquities Authority under the supervision of the "Carmel Routes" company and under the management of Dr. Zeah Yabin and Dr. Gerald Finkelstein, following the start of the "Carmel Tunnels" transportation project. Following the rescue excavations, some of the findings were transferred to the open-air "Hecht" museum known as "Dorot Park" which is located near the Forties Grove in Carmel Park.

Trade and export city

During the excavations, no less than 11 textile houses dating to the Byzantine period were discovered. The canvas houses produced very large quantities of oil that satisfied the needs of the local residents and were mainly intended for export by land and sea. Besides the canvas houses, 14 wine cellars were uncovered. The vats were found between the houses and next to the churches and next to them were treading surfaces, filtering ponds, the must collection pit and more.

Cemetery

46 sealed graves were uncovered in the cemetery at the site of Kastra, whose form of burial is similar to the members of the religions - the Jews and the Christians. Beside them were buried gold jewelry, beads, pendants, hundreds of whole glass vessels that were brought as burial offerings.

(The information for the purpose of the article was taken from the records of the Antiquities Authority at the Kastra Museum and the Ana Hostel as well as from a booklet called "Kastra at the Foot of Carmel" produced by the Maritime Museum in Haifa, in 1990)