According to the crusaders, the name of Haifa, stretching on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, comes from the name of the high priest Caiaphas, who participated in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The people of Israel have a different opinion, and their version suggests that the word "haifa" comes from "hapa", which in Hebrew means "to cover." The neighborhoods of Haifa are located on the slopes of Mount Carmel, which shelters the city from strong winds. Safe harbor dates back to the Roman era. Under the Crusaders, the city grew to the size of a large port, and the Carmelite order found refuge on the slopes of Carmel. Haifa is now renowned for its friendly atmosphere, which is to the taste of all its guests, regardless of race, religion and worldview. Going on an excursion, be prepared to walk a lot and listen to the guide, because there is something to see in the old town. In Haifa, archaeological excavations are underway on Mount Carmel, dozens of interesting museum exhibitions have been opened, the largest Bahai temple with magnificent gardens is located and monasteries of the High Middle Ages have been preserved.
TOP 10 attractions in Haifa
Bahá'í World Center
One of the world's most mysterious religions, the Bahá'í faith has millions of followers around the world, and its main religious center is located in Haifa. You can look at the beautiful gardens, laid out on the slope of Mount Carmel around the mausoleum of the founder of the faith Bab, as part of an organized excursion that takes place every day, except Wednesday.
The complex occupies the first line in the list of city attractions:
- The Tomb of the Bab was built at the end of the 19th century. It is a structure with an arcade and a central gilded dome. Baba's remains are buried in one of nine rooms.
- The construction was carried out with donations from adherents of the Bahá'í faith.
- 12 thousand gold tile plates for the dome were made in Portugal.
- 19 terraces, laid out on the side of the mountain, lead to the tomb. Their length is about a kilometer, and the width of the ledges varies from 60 to 400 m.
- Baha'i Gardens are served by 90 volunteers from different countries.
- USD 250 million was spent on the construction of the gardens.
Garden tours start west of the central balcony. Starting point address: st. Yefe Nof, 45.
Cave of Elijah the Prophet
The biblical prophet Elijah lived about three thousand years ago and was an ardent opponent of King Ahab, who supported paganism. Elijah had to hide from the wrath of King in a cave on the slope of Mount Carmel.
The hideout is located at the foot of one of the slopes. The hermit and his followers significantly expanded the karst cave and now the shelter is five meters high and almost 15 meters long. Today, the cave is divided by a partition, denoting the female and male halves. Prayers are written on the wall, which can be read, but pilgrims often prefer to ask for mercy in their own words. Jewish believers claim that in terms of spiritual strength this place is almost as good as the Western Wall in Jerusalem, but followers of other religions also visit the cave and come to see where the saint lived, hiding in Haifa.
Stella Maris Monastery
On the slopes of Mount Carmel back in the XII century. hermits appeared who settled in the caves in imitation of Elijah the Prophet. Then the group acquired a charter and was named the Order of the Carmelites. Above the grotto, where according to legend, Elijah the Prophet lived, in the second half of the 18th century. a church was built. During the Napoleonic campaign, the temple was badly damaged, and the exiled monks fled to Europe.
The order obtained official permission to return their lands in 1836. At the same time, a monastery was opened, which today serves as a spiritual center for Carmelite monks around the world.
The main church of the monastery on the plan resembles a cross. The cathedral is adorned with colored stained glass windows by Beli, and frescoes depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. In the altar part there is a statue of the Virgin Mary, carved from Lebanese cedar. The Carmelites call her Our Lady Carmel and claim that the Mother of God rested in a cave niche on the way from Egypt to Nazareth and held the baby Jesus in her arms.
The monastery is inhabited by 9 monks, each of whom has an excellent education, knows several languages and participates in the social life of the order.
Haifa Maritime Museum
One of the largest ports in the Mediterranean, Haifa and its inhabitants are directly dependent on the sea. Not surprisingly, the local Maritime Museum is one of the city's most visited attractions.
The goal of the exhibition organizers is to study the history of navigation in the Mediterranean basin, the Red Sea and the mouth of the Nile. To preserve historical relics associated with the seas, to tell visitors about the significance of the sea in human life - such tasks were first set before the museum staff in 1953.
The core of the collection is the private collection of naval officer Arie Ben-Eli. Among the exhibits are anchors raised from the bottom of the sea, ancient weapons and valuables found by underwater archaeologists during expeditions. A unique exhibit is a bronze battering ram of a military vessel, dating back to the 2nd century. BC. The numismatic department boasts a collection of minted ancient coins. The collection of medals issued on the occasion of memorable events related to navigation is of no less interest. The oldest examples date from the Renaissance.
Museum of Science, Technology and Space
The building where this Haifa museum is located is an architectural landmark in itself. Its construction began in 1912, continued after the end of the First World War, and was completed only in 1925. In the appearance of the mansion you will find clear Arab and European motives, which is not surprising for Haifa, which lies at the crossroads of different cultures.
The museum presents the basic principles of natural sciences, on which the entire universe is built. The expositions are interactive, and the laws of physics, chemistry or mathematics are presented to visitors "in three-dimensional form." For example, you can look at the construction of a space rocket and understand how it reaches orbit. Or learn the history of the world's most popular puzzles of all time. In the Haifa Museum, they will explain to you the structure of solar panels and show you the nature of chemical processes, intrigue you with optical illusions and introduce you to the discoveries of Leonardo da Vinci, which are still admired today.
Mane Katz Museum
The last years of his life expressionist Mane Katz worked in a small building in Haifa. After his death, the artist's works, the collections he collected during his travels, furniture, carpets and other personal belongings were exhibited for fans of his work.
The artist Manet Katz, along with a group of young painters, came to Paris at the beginning of the last century and became there one of the founders of the genre, which would later be called the avant-garde. His work "The Wailing Wall" is one of the most famous. For its creation, the artist received the prize of the 1937 Paris World Exhibition.
The museum can be explored quickly, but if you're lucky, in addition to the works and things of Manet Katz, you can see paintings by world-famous artists. The small museum in Haifa often hosts exhibitions of a planetary scale.
Museum of Illegal Immigration and the Navy
Fans of naval affairs and the history of Israel will love the collection of exhibits of the Museum. David Akoen. The collection covers the history of illegal immigration to Palestine that existed during the British Mandate in the first half of the 20th century. Most of the exhibits are devoted to the history of the struggle for the right to move to Israel and become its citizen.
This story is most vividly presented aboard the Af Al Pi Khen ship, intercepted in 1947 by a British destroyer. On board the ship, sailing to Israel, there were 434 people who wanted to live in the Promised Land. The ship has been completely preserved, and during the excursion you will be shown cabins, photographs from deportation camps, old documents.
In the department of the history of the country's Navy, there are exhibits illustrating important milestones on the way of the Marine Corps and its participation in the wars waged by Israel.
Museum of Japanese Art
The only exhibition in the Middle East dedicated to the preservation of Japanese art is open in Haifa. The Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art was created at the initiative of a resident of the Netherlands in 1959. The project received the support of the mayor of the city, and the collection of the world famous architect and collector of Japanese art Felix Tikotin was housed in a special pavilion in Haifa.
The exhibition hall is decorated in a typical Japanese style. The collection includes almost 7,000 items - from paintings and prints to lacquer miniatures and ancient illustrated texts. Particularly valuable examples are netsuke figurines, a traditional Japanese miniature carving.
Japanese patrons support the museum, and the funds allocated by them are used to expand the premises and purchase new exhibits. This allows the exposition to be substantially renewed several times a year.
Art Museum
You can look at the work of Marc Chagall in Haifa in the Art Museum, opened in 1951 on the occasion of a major exhibition in honor of this famous representative of the artistic avant-garde.
Today, the collection contains about seven thousand works, and the museum ranks third in the ranking of the largest art collections in the country. In addition to Chagall's canvases, you will find works by Diego Rivera, Hana Orlov, Menachem Shemi and Max Lieberman in the halls.
Hi-Bar Carmel
The purpose of creating a reserve on the territory of the Carmel mountain range near Haifa is to revive the population of animals that previously lived here and disappeared. In Hai-Bar Carmel, a program for the resettlement and reproduction of animals mentioned in the Bible has been operating since 1960, and the nesting sites of rare griffon vultures, listed in the Red Book of some countries, are being protected.
The reserve is called Little Switzerland because of the picturesque mountain landscapes, and hiking trails on its territory are very popular with fans of outdoor activities.
