OUTSIDE OF JERUSALEM: Banias Nature Reserve
OUTSIDE OF JERUSALEM: Banias Nature Reserve – unique and fantastic combination of natural sites, ancient worship, 2,000 year old palace
With its flowing waters, mysterious cave and glorious setting below the majestic Hermon Mountain, Banias is so impressive that it has long been considered a holy site. Indeed, below a prayer niche next to the cave archeologists uncovered an entire stone altar dating back 2200 years!
This fabulous nature reserve boasts a splendid waterfall divided in two by a huge eastern plane tree and a flowing river that flows into the fabled Jordan. And as if that weren’t enough, excavations have uncovered remains from the splendid palace built by Agrippa II, last of the Herodian kings. One of the largest and most grandiose buildings ever constructed in the Land of Israel, it extended over more than 2,000 square meters!
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