Mount Carmel
Since
the days of yore, Mount Carmel has been
a symbol of beauty. It is a particularly
suitable location for family hikes and
recreation pastimes all year round.
Mount
Carmel is not particularly high. Its peak
only reaches 546 meters above sea level.
Mount Carmel is sprawled between the Menashe
Plateau in the south, the Haifa Bay
in the north and the Jezreel
Valley on the east. Its borders are
very clear, and create an independent unit
that reaches 32 square kilometers.
Its
proximity to the sea gives the mountain
large quantities of precipitation, which
enable the growth of well developed Mediterranean
groves. In spring, bloom is especially
diverse and colorful: approximately 670
different species of plants grow on this
mountain.
During the Carmel’s geological development,
many types of rocks were formed. Most of
them are marine sedimentary rocks, created
as a result of the accumulation of remains
of animals in the ancient sea. At that time,
when the entire area was submerged in the
sea, the Carmel region had several volcanic
eruptions that brought Basalt rocks. Next
to them, the Carmel also has rocks that were
formed by skeletons of marine animals such
as shellfish and corals.
The geological fractures that occurred in
the area created steep escarpments, the
most impressive of which is on the eastern
part of the mountain, standing upright
over the Jezreel Valley.
Prehistoric
Settlements
In
the Carmel, a continuum of settlements
lasting thousands of years has been found,
starting with prehistoric man, whose traces
have been found in the area as early as
200 thousand years ago. At a certain period,
a distinct type of prehistoric human lived
here, and was named after the mountain – “Carmelite
Man”.
The human scenery is still interesting today.
Residents of the Carmel are Jewish, Druze,
Christian, Muslim,Baha'i and
Ahmadi. The gold plated Baha’i
temple, one of the symbols of the city
of Haifa, and the different worship locations
dedicated mostly to the prophet Elijah – man
of the Carmel, add another characteristic
to those that turn this into a remarkably
fascinating land. Elijah’s story
is also retained in the Muhraka,
where the Carmelite monastery commemorates
Elijah’s challenge to the Baal
priests, as told by the Bible.
On
the north-western slopes of the Carmel,
the city of Haifa overlooks the Mediterranean
and controls the bay, which also holds
one of the largest ports in Israel.
Natural
Groves and a Variety of Flowers
A
large part of the Carmel is covered with
natural forest and groves, which maintain
their fresh color throughout the year.
Due to the large amount of precipitation
and the high humidity in the area, the
flora quickly recovers from damage caused
by fire and logging.
The groves have a variety of trees, which
used to compose the natural forests in
Israel. Some flower at springtime, and
provide scents and vibrant colors. The
trees are widely spaced, and between
them colorful bushes flower in yellow,
white, pink and purple.
Next to the Mediterranean groves, the Carmel
holds natural pine woods. These integrate
with the conifers planted by man. Despite
the many forest fires over the years,
many of the natural and cultivated pine
trees survived and turned into especially
large and impressive trees.
One
of the Largest Nature Reserves in Israel
Over
80 dunam of the Carmel Mountain are a nature
reserve. Paths were created, enabling tourists
to reach parking lots and shaded corners.
Next to the scenic routs there are birds
eye lookouts and organized picnic spots.
From these places, the views of the Jezreel
Valley to the east, the Upper Galilee to
the north and the Mediterranean beaches
to the west are visible.
On
other parts of the nature reserve, the “Hai-Bar” – a
wildlife preserve – is where animals
and birds that have previously become extinct
from the Carmel have recently been returned
to the area, receiving dedicated care from
the Nature and National Parks Protection
Authority.
Tourist
Routes and Hikes
The
Carmel region is full of tourist attractions
and sites. You can travel on the “Nof
Carmel” (Carmel view) 25 kilometer
long path, suitable for all vehicles. You
may visit the Druze inhabitants of the
villages Daliyat
el-Carmel and Isfya,
and get to know their heritage. These villages
have many authentic restaurants and unique
marketplaces that attract many Israelis
and tourists. Another site is the Carmel “Hai-Bar” – a
zoological preserve maintained by the Israel
Nature and National Parks Protection Authority.
In this nature reserve, wild sheep, wild
goats, deer and fallow deer are grown for
the purpose of releasing them back into
the wild.
Nahal
Mearot Nature Reserve on the west side
of the mountain reveals prehistoric man’s
lifestyle in the area. The place has an
audio-visual show, and the tourist path
passes through caves that were used for
dwelling by prehistoric man. At the center
of the mountain is Mahtsevot Kdumim, where
in Byzantine times, stones were quarried
for building.
On
top of all these, hikes along unusual nature
sites such as the Kelah River, also known
as “Little Switzerland”,
the Nesher River with the hanging bridge
that crosses one of its channels, Mizpe
Ofer an overlook with a view of the village
of Fureidis, and “Havat Mishmar
ha’Carmel”, a recently opened
national park, where families may spend
time, watch the views and camp through
the night.
Haifa – City
of the Carmel
The
district city of Haifa is the third largest
city in Israel. It sits on a slope facing
the sea, at the top of which the Stella
Maris monastery and the well-known
Haifa University are located. The city
hosts a variety of hotels of different
grades, shopping centers, various museums, Elijah’s
Cave where
according to the different traditions the
prophet hid from those pursuing him, the
cable car from Bat-Galim to the top of
the mountain, and a city that preserves
the Templer period. The Templers were German
settlers who built their beautiful stone
houses during the 19th century. The city
also holds the country’s northern
main train station, and a railway museum,
telling the history of trains from the
Ottoman rein until today.
Still, the jewel in the crown of the city
is the Baha’i
temple. This serves as the Baha’i
religion world center. The temple
is surrounded by the largest green gardens
in Israel, famous throughout the world
for their beauty and uniqueness.
Sources: GoIsrael |