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Caesarea National Park encompasses an ancient city on the eastern Mediterranean coast. Its ruins are located south of the modern town of Caesarea, Israel.
History of Caesarea
Caesarea (Καισάρεια) was founded by Herod the Great and built between 22 BC and 10 BC. He dedicated the city to Roman Emperor Augustus. In 6 AD, it became the capital of the Roman province of Judea, replacing Jerusalem as the civilian and military capital.
From 390 to 636, Caesarea was the capital of the Byzantine province of Palestina Prima. It remained inhabited after it was conquered by the Muslims in 640. The city fell into great decline until it was captured by the Crusaders in 1101.
The Crusaders controlled Caesarea from 1101 to 1187 and 1191 to 1265. Louis IX of France fortified the city in 1251 but it was completely destroyed by the Mamluk Baibars in 1265. It sat uninhabited until the 16th or 17th century, when it became a small fishing village during the Ottoman period. At that time, it was inhabited by about 100 Moroccan and seven Jewish families. Caesarea declined in the 18th century and was abandoned once again in the early 19th century.
In 1884, Muslim immigrants from Bosnia established the village of Qisarya on the ruins of the Crusader city. They lived there until an Israeli unit commanded by Yitzhak Rabin (1922-1995) captured the village in February 1948. The Israeli town of Caesarea was founded in 1952 just north of the ruins.
Excavations of the ancient city began in the 1950s and 1960s and are ongoing. Most of the excavations are carried out by the United States and Israel. The town of Caesarea was incorporated into Caesarea National Park in 2011.
Visiting Caesarea National Park
The ruins of Caesarea, also known as Caesarea Maritima and Caesarea Palestina, are included in Caesarea National Park. It’s open daily and adult admission is ₪39 (as of June 2024). Visit the official website for more info.
There are two entrances. The northern entrance leads to the Crusader city and harbor area while the southern entrance is closest to the theatre, palace, and hippodrome. Because we were on a guided tour, we entered through the southern entrance and only visited that part of the park.
Roman Theatre
After entering the park, we walked to the Roman theatre, which is the oldest theatre in Israel. Just outside there were fragments of statues on display. We then entered the theatre, climbed up to the top row, and took a seat to enjoy the view.
The theatre was built by Herod the Great and could seat 4,000 people. It was renovated by Emperor Vespasian in the 1st century, and contains original seats and decorations dating back to the 2nd century. The semicircular platform behind the stage dates back to the 3rd century.
When we left the theatre, we walked under an original arched corridor held up only by gravity. Once outside, we were able to get a good view of the seating area from behind the stage. The theatre is still used to this day for concerts and other performances.
Architectural Garden
Next, we walked through a garden presenting architectural pieces found in and around Caesarea during excavations. The pieces, including pillars, capitals, and sculptures, feature Hellenistic and Roman design elements. The materials for some of the items were locally quarried while others were imported.
Promontory Palace
At the other end of the garden is the Promontory Palace. It was built in several different stages and contained two levels. The palace is attributed to Herod although he never visited the city.
The first section we walked through was the upper palace. It had a peristyle courtyard and was either one or two stories high. During Herodian times, the upper palace served as a guest wing and included a mikveh, audience hall, and a barrel-vaulted cistern. The Romans added a monumental entrance, administrative rooms, basilica, and a bath. Roman governors may have lived in the palace after Herod’s reign, preferring the excitement of Caesarea to the monotony of Jerusalem.
The lower palace sat to the west of the upper palace. It was built on a reef protruding out to the sea and only the eastern portion has survived. In the center of the lower palace was a swimming pool that contained fresh water. It’s possible to spot a Roman mosaic floor along the edge of the pool. A central hall flanked by two smaller rooms and possibly a dining room were attached to the pool. The rooms were lavishly decorated and had bathing and heating facilities.
Biblical References
On the south side of the courtyard of the upper palace, there’s a stone with a replica inscription mentioning Pontius Pilate. Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea and presided over the trial of Jesus. This stone found at Caesarea is the only written proof he ever existed. The original is on display at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
On the north side of the courtyard is the audience hall. In 58 AD, St. Paul the Apostle was accused of starting a riot and was sent to Caesarea to be tried by the Roman procurator, Festus. During his hearing, Paul demanded to be heard at the emperor’s court in Rome. As a Roman citizen, his appeal was granted, and he then sailed to Rome from the harbor in Caesarea. It’s possible the audience hall was the location of the hearing (Acts 25:11-12).
Hippodrome of Caesarea
After leaving the palace, we walked to the hippodrome. As we entered, our guide pointed out the Roman latrines.
The hippodrome was built by Herod and could seat up to 10,000 people. Chariot races took place there as well as battles between slaves and lions. The hippodrome was rebuilt in the 2nd century.
Chariot races ran counterclockwise and were seven laps long. Seats on the curves were the most sought after because of the challenges posed to charioteers and horses.
End of the Tour at Caesarea National Park
Our guided tour of Caesarea ended at the hippodrome. To the north, we would have been able to visit the harbor and the remains of the Crusader city and Bosnian village. There are also a handful of restaurants around the harbor. We plan to see this section of the park on a future trip.
