Israel Tours – Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park

Less than an hour’s drive from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, in the foothills of the Judean Mountains, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park is a scenic spot with historical and geological wonders for the whole family.

The town of Maresha dates to the First Temple period (1000-586 BCE). Later settlements at the same site were called Eleutheropolis and Beit Guvrin. Remains include remnants of city walls, beautifully painted tombs, a Roman amphitheater and several churches from Byzantine and crusader periods.

 

 

The most famous feature of the park is a huge network of man-made caves. In the Byzantine and early Islamic periods (4th-9th centuries), inhabitants took advantage of the soft chalk deposits under their feet to dig out spaces for tombs and mine chalk for roads and building materials. The quarried caves are known as bell caves because of the shapes of the cavities created when dug out through holes in the surface. There are some 800 bell caves in the park and 2,000 in the wider area, many connected by tunnels.

The ruins and caves are set in a scenic spot, with trails for walking and cycling. You’ll want at least a couple of hours to explore.

A visit to Beit Guvrin can be added to any of our private Israel tours.