The history of Haifa, the third largest city in Israel, begins in the Roman period of Palestinian history. It was a well-developed port city in the 3rd-5th centuries.
Haifa is a major port, the Mediterranean gateway to Palestine. In modern history, the city is noted as a center for Jewish emigration, which existed in the 1930s. Jews moved here, who were increasingly crowded out in Germany, overwhelmed by the ideas of Nazism.
History of the toponym
In modern Israel, Haifa is considered a major business and shopping center. At the same time, the history of the city makes it attractive to tourists. In this context, it would be interesting to understand where the name of the city comes from. In fact, there are several versions of the origin of the Haifa toponym: from the Jewish concept of "beautiful coast"; in the name of Caiaphas - the high priest, under whom Christ was crucified; from the root "hapa" - "to shelter", since the harbor here is quiet, moreover, it is really sheltered from the winds by Mount Carmel. The latest version is supported by the fact that the old port, which at present seems small, was located in a secluded place where Bat Galim is now located - one of the districts of Haifa.
Modern history
And Haifa is adjacent to Muslim and Jewish buildings. However, even here the Arab-Jewish conflict left traces. A terrible massacre took place at an oil refinery.
Haifa's peaceful life also makes its mark in history. For example, archaeologists are constantly working here, extracting valuable material for world history. It was in Haifa that the metro was built. In fact, it is a funicular moving underground, which is much more practical and safer than a cable car. The funicular-metro is called "Carmelite" - in honor of Mount Carmel. In addition, more recently, environmentally friendly buses began to operate here, the network of which is planned to be carried out to the suburbs.
