- Address: Harod valley north of Beit She'an, Israel;
- Phone: +972 04-6587189;
- Opening hours: April - September from 8:00 to 17:00, October - March from 8:00 to 16:00;
- Admission: adults - $ 6.4, children and pensioners - $ 3.3.
Reflecting on the journey in Israel , it is worth noting in the tourist route such an ancient city as Beit She'an . Today the city is the center of the crossing of two important roads: one of them connects Jerusalem and Tiberias , and the second Jordan valley with the Mediterranean Sea. The city attracts tourists not only by its location, but also by the Scythopolis National Park.
What is the park of Scythopolis?
In ancient times on the site of the park Scythopolis was the eponymous city, which is mentioned as conquered by the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III. Throughout the history of its existence, they were ruled by Philistines and Greek colonists. Each of the peoples left their mark on the architecture of the buildings of the city. Tourists are surprised at how well preserved some of them. Excavations of this ancient settlement allowed to show how beautiful he was in antiquity.
Scientists began to conduct them in the 60s of the 20th century. During their work a synagogue with a mosaic was found. Why did the excavations stop for a while and only resumed in the 90s. Among the amazing structures archaeologists have discovered:
- the ruins of pagan temples;
- the Roman amphitheater;
- colonnades;
- Roman terms.
Scythopolis National Park was opened for tourists in 2008. At the same time, the restoration work was carried out with the excavation, so the park was open for tourists quite quickly. The solemn event was accompanied by a light and sound show.
When entering the city, you should pay attention to the signs. They are small brown tablets that will point the way to "GanLeumi Beit Shean". You can see the city in all its glory on the layout, which is located near the entrance to the park.
Once Scythopolis was part of Decapolis, that is, it was one of 10 Hellenistic cities, united by Pompey into a separate unit. Visitors to the National Park will be able to see:
- remains of the ancient basilica, its age is more than 1500 years.
- pagan temples, turned into a shopping center;
- city fountain, erected in the 2nd century AD and rebuilt in the 4th. In its center was a certain elevation, beyond which was a two-storeyed wall;
- strolling along the ancient streets, you should climb the huge stairs to the top of the hill. It is from here that you can see an indescribable view of the surrounding landscape. When the Romans at the top of the hill stood the temple of Zeus, but in the Byzantine era it was replaced by a church;
- Roman baths, which occupied an area of 900 square meters. They were built in the 4th century AD and were improved by Byzantines.
Information for tourists
The entrance to the national park is paid and makes up about $ 6.4 for adults, $ 3.3 for children and pensioners.
The park operates according to the following schedule:
- from April to September 8:00 to 17:00;
- from October to March from 8:00 to 16:00;
How to get there?
You can reach the park in the following ways:
- from the west by highway number 75;
- from the south and north along highway 90.