A busy port in ancient times and the Middle Ages - sometimes hosting as many as eighty ships in the time of the Crusaders - it is now used only as a fishing harbor. The harbor functioned as the main gateway to the land of Israel for centuries, until its destruction by the British and Austrian navies during the 19th century. To this day, paintings of passengers from the 18th century show the southern breakwater and the Crusader wall, the remains of which rise to a considerable height. Further west are the lighthouse and the sea wall, which was breached during an earthquake in 1837.
A busy port in ancient times and the Middle Ages - sometimes hosting as many as eighty ships in the time of the Crusaders - it is now used only as a fishing harbor. The harbor functioned as the main gateway to the land of Israel for centuries, until its destruction by the British and Austrian navies during the 19th century. To this day, paintings of passengers from the 18th century show the southern breakwater and the Crusader wall, the remains of which rise to a considerable height. Further west are the lighthouse and the sea wall, which was breached during an earthquake in 1837.