Migdal Tsedek National Park
The fortress at Migdal Tsedek is not a well-known tourist site; but this is not a good reason for ignoring it! Its location had considerable strategic importance, the stories about the site are quite fascinating, and the park is well arranged so as to stimulate interest. The hiking trails within the park and the 4-km bike trail around the park are all clearly marked.
A number of trails are on notice boards. Many will choose the Fortress Trail. It is an easy circular trail that is quite scenic and goes around and then into the fortress. If choosing this trail, park at the lower parking lot. If not walking on any of the trails, go straight to the upper parking lot adjacent to the fortress.
My widely acclaimed, best-selling guide for exploring in and around Jerusalem: "In and Around Jerusalem for Everyone - The Best Walks, Hikes and Outdoor Pools" by Arnold Slyper
For FREE, speedy, home, courier service from Pomeranz Booksellers in Jerusalem click here (tel: 02-623 5559) and for Amazon click here. To see details about the book and its outstanding reviews click here.
Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes, which includes viewing the fortress.
Distance:2½ km
Type of hike: Circular
Difficulty: An easy trail on an asphalt-covered path. There are benches along the trail. There is a gentle incline, but no steps except on the Promenade on the way down.
Directions: Enter “Migdal Tsedek National Park” into Waze.
Admission: This is a park of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Summer hours (approx. April–October) are Sunday to Thursday & Saturday 6:00 a.m. to 5.00 pm, and during the winter (approximately November to March) the park closes one hour earlier. The last entry is at least 1 hour before closing. There is free early-morning entry 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. during the summer and 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. during the winter for visitors on foot and is Intended for walking or cycling exercise. Admission is adults 31 nis, children 16 nis, student 26 nis and seniors 16 nis. There are restrooms adjacent to the lower parking lot. A three-part movie is shown in the fortress that discusses the trails in the park, the history of this area, and the history of the nearby quarries. It can be viewed in English. A small gift shop sells hot and cold drinks. This is their website.
Public transport: Enter “Migdal Tsedek National Park” into Moovit. It is about a 1 km/12 minute walk from the nearest bus stop.
Short hike on the Fortress Trail:
-
Head in the direction of the restrooms and follow the tan-colored signs up the hill on the Fortress Trail.
There is a viewpoint along the way with an explanatory sign. Also, other signs about the history of this site.
-
Close to the top, the trail splits. I advise going to the right around the fortress. After completing this, you can take path to the entrance of the fortress.
The courtyard is nicely set up with tables and chairs and if you wish you can stop for a drink. There are restrooms here. Don’t forget to ask the attendant to see the movie. If you walk into a side room called the Sadiq Cafe, there is a staircase which takes you one floor up, and there are views through the window of the central courtyard and surrounding countryside.
-
Return to the lower parking lot via the Promenade. (An additional short circular hike from here goes to the Sheik’s tomb).
Map of the trails in the park
Information about the Arab village of Majdal Yaba on the route
The central courtyard in the fortress for relaxing
From the trail a sign indicates that you can see Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva in the distance and Rosh HaAyin close by.
The history of Migdal Tsedek
There was habitation here in the Second Temple period called Migdal Afek.
During the Crusader period, a fortress was built on top of the hill called Mirabel that constituted one of the key strongholds of the defensive network of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. What you see today are only the foundations of the Crusader castle, which was called Mirabel. The intact structure now seen is a 19th century Ottoman fortified manor built directly on top of the Crusader foundations, and that follows the basic outline of the Crusader structure, including its central courtyard.
Mirabel overlooked the Afek Pass, where the Via Maris, the main international highway of the ancient Near East, squeezed between the Samarian Hills to the east and marshlands created by the springs of the Yarmouk River to the west. Passage could only occur through this passage way, and whoever controlled this pass controlled all north–south movement across the entire region. This castle was also close to an important coastal-Jerusalem road. This road has been taken over nowadays by route 1.
The Crusader castle was not only important strategically, but the baron who held it, Manasses of Hierges, was heavily involved in the political struggles of the kingdom. This is briefly touched upon in the movie shown in the castle. Because of the location of his castle near the coastal-Jerusalem road and his position of constable of her kingdom, he had outsized political weight in the struggles of Queen Melisende.
Melisende was the daughter of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem. He had no sons, and he designated Melisende as his heir. She married Fulk of Jerusalem, a powerful noble from Anjou. When King Fulk died, Queen Melisende ruled in his stead and was supported by Manasses. Her reign is often viewed as a golden age of the kingdom. She sponsored churches and monasteries, and strengthened Jerusalem as a religious center. However, her son, King Baldwin III, who had come of age wanted full control. A power struggle emerged and Manasses used Mirabel as a stronghold of resistance against Baldwin III. Eventually, Baldwin III defeated this faction in a civil war. Manasses was exiled and Mirabel passed out of his hands.
After the decisive Crusader defeat at the Battle of Hattin, much of the Crusader defensive system collapsed, as did the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Muslim forces under Saladin advanced into the region and Mirabel was captured.
In the 19th century, Sheikh Ṣādiq al-Rayyān rebuilt much of the fortress and used it to dominate the surrounding villages and collect taxes from travelers, giving rise to the modern name "Migdal Tzedek" ("Tower of Ṣādiq").
Another story here is that of the quarries, which you can see below you and to the side of the fortress.
The hills around are rich in high-quality limestone, which is durable and easy to cut. Stone was quarried on a small, local scale for nearby settlements and roads and fortifications (including earlier phases of the hilltop fortress). The area became especially important for lime production, and dozens of lime kilns were built across the slopes. Limestone was quarried, burned in kilns at high temperatures and turned into lime for mortar and plaster. This material was essential for construction in villages and towns, for plastering buildings, and for infrastructure across central Israel. During the British Mandate and early Israeli period, quarrying became more mechanized and large-scale and the area supplied stone for expanding cities in the coastal plain and for roads and infrastructure.
Between 1937 to 1947 there was a Jewish labor camp and factory at Migdal Tsedek with the character of a military-like outpost. When the War of Independence broke out it was decided to end Jewish labor at the factories, and Iraqi forces took over the quarries as well as nearby Rosh Ha’Ayin and the Yarkon Springs, which provided water to Jerusalem. In July 1948, part of the Alexandroni Brigade captured Migdal Tsedek, Rosh Ha’Ayin, and the Arab village of Majdal Yaba. In the 1970s, the quarries were abandoned for financial reasons and they became garbage dumps.
Who thought up the Crusades?
The idea of a Crusade was that of one individual, Pope Urban II, which he preached at the Council of Clermont in November 1095.
His aim was a Holy War to liberate Jerusalem and the holy sites associated with the life of Jesus from the hands of the Muslims. It will be recalled that the Byzantine empire was formerly Christian. However, the Byzantines were defeated by the Muslims at the banks of the Yarmouk in 636 CE.
Much ink has been spent by historians considering other religious and political reasons as to why Urban conjured up this venture. A direct trigger was a request he had received from the Byzantine empire for assistance in resisting the Seljuk Turks. He wanted greater authority over the many small kingdoms of Europe resulting from the disintegration of the Holy Roman Empire of Charlemagne. A united Christian military enterprise would enhance the prestige of the Pople and reinforce his claim to lead all of Christendom. The number of knights in Europe had also been growing in size, and that was no longer sufficient land for bequeathment from generation to generation. Instead of fighting each other, these knights could now fight for a holy cause.
Urban also portrayed Christians in the East as suffering under Muslim rule. This was an exaggeration. It was the case that Caliph Hakim had destroyed the Holy Sepulcher in 1014, but he was generally recognized as an unbalanced fanatic and the damage was soon repaired. In general, there had been tolerance of the Christian citizens of Jerusalem and Christian pilgrimage to this city was flourishing.
Finally, and this may have been critical, he offered remission of sin for all those who undertook a crusade with sincere motives. The idea was that pious Christians in previous generations had accumulated a positive balance in heaven and these indulgences could now be offered for those participating in this holy venture.
The response probably well exceeded his expectations, and transformed what may have been envisioned as a limited military expedition to a much larger movement known as the First Crusade.
There were two components to this Crusade, consisting of two great armies leaving Europe separately in the direction of Constantinople — the People’s Crusade and a Baron’s Crusade. The latter at least pretended to some semblance of military order and discipline. Neither realistically anticipated the difficulties they would experience on the way.
The People’s Crusade marched through the German Rhineland and massacred the Jews of Speyer, Worms and Mainz. From Mainz, roving bands arrived at Cologne, Trier and Metz and further massacres ensued. Many churchmen and nobles attempted to protect the Jewish populace and were often successful, but others in positions of leadership did not. Jews were offered the choice of conversion or death. With almost no exception, the victims of the Crusade did not agree to conversion. As a result of constant fighting on the way, only about a tenth of these pilgrims managed to reach Constantinople.
The second wave of First Crusaders left France in 1096 under the leadership of Godfrey of Boulogne and his younger brother Baldwin of Boulogne and managed to capture large areas of territory. Jerusalem was finally conquered in 1099 and the small number of Jews in the city and its Muslims were massacred.
The Kingdom of Jerusalem lasted until July 4, 1187 and the Battle of Hattin when the Ayyubid army led by Sultan Saladin completely defeated the Crusaders in the Galilee region.