Page 35 - Holyland Magazine - 2025 Edition
P. 35

Mount Arbel. Photo: Yuval Gassar

Banias (Caesarea Philippi)                      park displays remains spanning multiple               Jewish Revolt against Rome in 67 CE.
Just a short drive from Tel Dan lies Banias,    periods: the Hellenistic shrine to Pan, Herodian      Josephus Flavius vividly described how
known in the New Testament as Caesarea          structures, and Byzantine remnants. Visitors          thousands of inhabitants either perished
Philippi. Here, against the backdrop of         can hike along several trails of varying difficulty,  in battle or leapt from the cliffs rather than
ancient pagan worship at the grotto             from leisurely walks to more challenging              surrender.
dedicated to the god Pan, Jesus asked his       routes connecting the upper archaeological
disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" and      area to the waterfall below.                          The remarkably preserved ancient synagogue
declared to Peter that upon this rock He                                                              at Gamla ranks among the oldest ever
would build His church (Matthew 16:13-20).      Elevated Sanctuaries: Gamla and Mount                 discovered in Israel, offering profound insight
The spiritual significance of this location is  Arbel                                                 into Jewish worship during the Second
enhanced by its physical beauty.                                                                      Temple period. The site's natural setting is
                                                Gamla                                                 equally impressive, featuring a spectacular
The Banias waterfall - the tallest in Israel -  Perched on a steep ridge resembling a                 lookout point where visitors can often spot
cascades dramatically through a basalt canyon,  camel's hump (hence its name "Gamla" in               griffon vultures soaring above the valley. The
creating a spectacular view accessible via a    Aramaic), this ancient Jewish city earned             Israel Nature and Parks Authority maintains a
suspended walking path. The archaeological      its reputation as the "Masada of the North"           vulture conservation program here, adding
                                                through its tragic siege during the Great

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