Take a quick trip to this beautiful park during your next visit to the Dead Sea.
Overview
Tel Arad National Park is located just outside of the modern city of Arad. The National Park is just a quick thirty minutes’ drive from the hotel resorts at the Dead Sea and is well-worth the trip. Tel Arad, the ancient city is divided into an upper and lower part.
History
From 3150-2200 BCE, there was a bustling Canaanite settlement, with beautiful squares, private homes, temples and much more. Many of the ancient artifacts have been meticulously excavated and much of the famed 1,200 meter-long wall, one of the longest in Israel at the time, can still be seen.
The Upper City was dubbed, “the Hill of Fortresses” and was used by the Israelites in 1200 BCE. There were a number of vast fortresses built here over the years, which were constructed upon the ruins of the previous ones. One of the highlights, which can still be seen today, is an Israelite Temple featuring a sanctuary and a prayer room. This temple is a smaller replica of King Solomon’s great Temple in Jerusalem.
Additional Activities
In addition to the ancient city of Tel Arad, visitors are urged to hike or bike throughout the breathtaking surroundings of the Negev Desert or take part in another one of the several unique activities, which can only be found in the Dead Sea region.