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After walking through the HaPisgah Gardens and Kedumim Square in Old Jaffa, we walked down a path to the seaside and Jaffa Port.
On the way down, we enjoyed great views of Tel Aviv. We also passed an interpretive panel indicating the location of the Jews’ Compound. It was a building purchased in 1820 by Isaiah Ajiman, a Jew from Constantinople (now Istanbul), which he converted into a guesthouse and synagogue for Jewish pilgrims. The building was destroyed during riots in 1921.
Once at the bottom of the path, we reached a seaside road with more great views of Tel Aviv. Turning left, we began our walk to Jaffa Port.
Sea Mosque
The first landmark we passed was the Sea Mosque, or the al-Bahr Mosque. It was built as early as the 17th century out of limestone and is the oldest existing mosque in Jaffa. The mosque was used by Muslim sailors and fishermen before going out to sea.
St. Nicholas Monastery
Just past the Sea Mosque is the St. Nicholas Monastery, which was founded before 1000 AD. The monastery consists of a large complex containing living quarters and a church. It’s under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which leases some of the complex for residential and commercial purposes. The church serves as a parish church for local Armenians.
St. Nicholas Monastery served as a guesthouse for Armenian pilgrims visiting the Holy Land and was fortified in the 18th century. In March 1799, Napoleon’s army occupied Jaffa. When his soldiers were affected by the plague, the Armenian priests at the monastery treated them and cured many. Napoleon visited them at the monastery.
Northern Gate
Next, we passed the Northern Gate. It was built by the British in 1931 after they reclaimed land to the west and demolished the sea wall. Before that, the path between the sea and the buildings was extremely narrow.
Monastery of the Holy Archangels
A short walk past the Northern Gate is the Monastery of the Holy Archangels, which is administered by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. It used to receive pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land from Orthodox countries such as Greece, Russia, Cyprus, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. The pilgrims rested there before starting a six month journey on foot throughout the Holy Land. Once their pilgrimage was complete, they would return to the monastery and disembark on the next available ship to their country.
The Monastery of the Holy Archangels was restored in 1852 by Patriarch Cyril II (1792-1877) and once served a Greek Orthodox community of over 35,000. A few days before Christmas in 1961, the monastery was destroyed by fire. It remained mostly in ruins until a generous donation allowed for its reconstruction in 1994.
Consuls’ Neighborhood
After the monastery is a row of historic buildings facing the sea. An interpretive panel explained that the buildings made up the Consuls’ Neighborhood.
From the middle of the 19th century to World War I, subsidiary consulates of Spain, Greece, Great Britain, Germany, Persia, Russia, France, the United States, and Austria all operated in the Christian quarter of Old Jaffa, which sat just above Jaffa Port.
The subsidiary consulates would report on events occurring in Jaffa as well as intervene in matters involving their citizens. Steps up to Old Jaffa are located in one of the buildings.
Orange Steps
The Orange Steps are in front of the buildings and show how narrow the passage was in the past. The steps were built by the Ottomans in the late 19th century and ran parallel to the sea wall. They’re named after the crates of famous Jaffa oranges that were lowered down onto the ships from the steps to be taken to Europe.
The point where the modern wooden platform meets the steps is where the sea used to be. The modern entrance to Jaffa Port is just beyond the platform.
Jaffa Port
Jaffa Port is just past the Consuls’ Neighborhood. It’s one of the oldest ports in the world and was the main port of Palestine until the middle of the British Mandate period. The British expanded and modernized the port in 1936. Today, it’s used as a port for pleasure crafts and yachts. It also attracts tourists to its many fish and seafood restaurants.
Jaffa Light
Jaffa Light sits on a hill just above the port. The first lighthouse was built in 1865 by the Ottomans and designed by French engineers. It was made of wood and used kerosene for fuel.
The British built the current lighthouse in 1936 out of concrete in the courtyard of the home of the Armenian Zakarian family, who operate it to this day. Jaffa Light operated day and night until 1966, when the Port of Ashdod replaced Jaffa Port. Since then it has been used as a daylight navigation aid.
