The city of biblical and historical events

Jaffa is one of the oldest port cities in Israel, its prime location on a hill above a bay making it a center of historical events for thousands of years.

Around 4000 years ago Jaffa was frequented by Egyptian and Phoenician sailors, and Christian legend has it that Jaffa was named after Noah’s son Japhet who re-built the city after the great flood. The city has been razed and re-built many times since, by invaders keen to capture the strategic outpost – including Napoleon.

Old Jaffa Visitor’s Center

Kikar Kedumim Square is located in the center of the city and is home to the Visitor’s Center. Here, you can view some recent archaeological discoveries found in the locality, and learn about Jaffa’s ancient history. Visitors can meet Yehuda Agronimos, a man from the 1st century and be taken on a tour of his ancient house as well as listen to his tales of the city as part of a multi-sensory, virtual experience.

4000 years of History Re-told

At the Visitors’ Center you will discover that Old Jaffa has experienced a turbulent, often bloody, history. You will hear the ancient Greek tale of Andromeda – through important events such as Egyptian rule, Jonah fleeing from God, and the spread of Christianity in the city. In the 14th century the city was completely razed and by the 15th century Jaffa was under Ottoman rule, with the 17th century being a time of reconstruction and re-establishment of churches and hostels for pilgrims. March 1799 saw the arrival of Napoleon who captured the city and killed many of the local inhabitants - and after this Jaffa saw a period of British rule during the first part of the 20th century.