Old City of Acre

The Old City of Acre (Akko) is a fortified Mediterranean port in northern Israel with well-preserved Crusader, Mamluk and Ottoman structures; the site is notable for its successive layers of military and civic architecture. The walled town preserves elements from the 12th century through the Ottoman rebuilding of the 18th century.

Archaeological and architectural highlights include the Crusader citadel and tunnels, vaulted halls used by the Hospitallers, and extensive Ottoman buildings and walls. Visitors also explore the active port, markets, and notable Ottoman-era monuments such as the large mosque and caravanserais that line the old town.

Acre has been occupied since antiquity and became a major Crusader stronghold in the 12th and 13th centuries; after the Crusader period the town was rebuilt and fortified under later Muslim rulers. Significant Ottoman-era reconstruction and civic building work took place in the 18th century under local governors, leaving the layered ensemble seen today.

Acre lies on Israel’s northern Mediterranean coast in the Northern District, about 25 kilometres north of Haifa and close to the Bay of Acre; the old town occupies a narrow coastal strip with the modern city extending inland.

• Harbour view: Boat trips to view the city walls from the sea provide a different perspective of the layered Crusader, Mamluk and Ottoman fortifications.
• Access note: Some underground Crusader-era passageways are only accessible via guided tours and involve low, narrow spaces.

What to See #

• Hospitaller Fortress and Crusader tunnels: A Crusader and later Ottoman fortified port complex that includes underground tunnels, vaulted halls and the Hospitaller citadel dating to the 12th and 13th centuries.
• Al-Jazzar Mosque and Ottoman quarter: A large Ottoman-era mosque and associated public buildings that form part of the city's 18th-century rebuilding under local governor Ahmed al-Jazzar.
• Port, khans and city walls: A historic harbour area with a coastal fortification line, caravanserais and the khan that serviced maritime and land trade.