Hi,
We jumped to a short walk to Latrun castle, a Crusader castle that sits on an hill on the road between Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv.
It was the place that gave the area its name: Le toron des chevaliers became Latrun. In the Independence war a post of the Arab Legion set on this hill. And the castle, along with the Tegart fort, prevent the access to Jerusalem that was under siege.
The IDF tried to capture the fort five times and failed them all, and the fort with the hill was left under Jordanian control until the it was captured in the Six days war. Only the opening of Burma Road during the Independence war ease the siege off Jerusalem and made the holding of Jerusalem possible.
Take Care
Gad
Starting the walk from the parking lot of the Trappists Latrun Monastery
Walking along the fences of the monastery and Israel National trail signs
Xuxa enjoying lying in the hole she dug in the ground
The edge of the monastery and a nice picture
The monastery behind a field of flowers
The bells of the monastery
The Olive grave around the hill
Climbing the hill
The back entrance to the monastery
Jordanian trenches on top of the hill
Structure from different eras: The basement is a crusades castle, the top is 1900’s stone Arab building and on the side is a Jordanian concrete and masonry structure
Arab construction – Made of gravity heavy walls. The roof is a Groin vault of stone without mortar.
The Crusaders‘ hall below the Arab building made of vault, but for a long hall like this, this mainly a barrel vault.
The modern Jordanian building – Masonry walls with reinforced concrete roof.
The rest of ruins of the castle
Looking around – the view is magnificent
Looking South-West to you can see Neve Shalom – and Arab Jewish village
And North of the village is Ayalon valley
Looking North-West one can see the monastery bell tower and Gush Dan
On the North is Modi’in city
To the East are Judaen mountains
The evil Urtica – watch those, it sting =/
Link to the hike route
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