World Heritage Identification Number: 1042
World Heritage since: 2001
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇮🇱 Israel
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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The Old City of Acre: A Testament to History and Cultural Diversity
The Old City of Acre, officially recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, stands as a remarkable testament to history and cultural diversity. Situated in the coastal plain region of the Northern District of Israel, this ancient port-city has witnessed continuous settlement since the Phoenician period, making it a significant historical site that offers an extraordinary glimpse into various civilizations that have shaped its development over millennia.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Acre is a historic walled port-city with continuous settlement from the Phoenician period. The present city is characteristic of a fortified town dating from the Ottoman 18th and 19th centuries, with typical urban components such as the citadel, mosques, khans and baths. The remains of the Crusader town, dating from 1104 to 1291, lie almost intact, both above and below today's street level, providing an exceptional picture of the layout and structures of the capital of the medieval Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (ii): Acre is an exceptional historic town in that preserves the substantial remains of the its medieval Crusader buildings beneath the existing Moslem fortified town dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Criterion (iii): The remains of the Crusader town of Acre, both above and below the present-day street level, provide an exceptional picture of the layout and structures of the capital of the medieval Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Criterion (v): Present-day Acre is an important example of an Ottoman walled town, with typical urban components such as the citadel, mosques, khans, and baths well preserved, partly built on top of the underlying Crusader structures.
Encyclopedia Record: Acre, Israel
Acre, known in Hebrew as Akko and in Arabic as Akka, is a city in the coastal plain region of the Northern District of Israel.Additional Site Details
Area: 63.3 hectares
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
Coordinates: 32.9216666667 , 35.0688888889
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© israeltourism from Israel, CC BY-SA 2.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
