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Tel Be'er Sheva National Park |
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UNESCO World Heritage Site
A settlement dating back to Abraham the Patriarch |
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Level of difficulty: easy |
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Archaeologists have uncovered two-thirds of a city dating from the early Israelite period (10th century BCE) at Tel Be'er Sheva in the Negev. The site is of unparalleled importance for the study of biblical-period urban planning, biblical history and its outstanding universal value, leading UNESCO to inscribe Tel Be'er Sheva as a World Heritage Site.
The meticulously planned water system of this city on the edge of the wilderness near the confluence of the Be'er Sheva and Hebron Streams demonstrates impressive engineering expertise. It consisted of a rectangular, 15-meter-deep stone-faced shaft. The shaft is connected to a large reservoir fed by floodwater from the Hebron Stream. A 70-meter-deep well, the deepest in the Negev, was also discovered outside the city gate.
The INPA has reconstructed several of Tel Be'er Sheva’s ancient buildings using authentic materials–– mud-bricks. Other highlights include the well, the city gate, streets, dwellings and storehouses. The ‘horned altar’ at the entrance to the park was reconstructed from excavated fragments. The lookout tower reveals a fascinating view of the desert and the modern city of Be'er Sheva. |
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How to get there:
Tel Be'er Sheva National Park is located off the Be'er Sheva-Shoket junction road (no. 60) south of Omer, near the Bedouin town of Tel Sheva, 10 minutes north of modern Be'er Sheva. |
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| Useful information |  | Length of tour: | 1–2 hours |  | Best season: | year-round |  | Don't miss: | the lookout tower |  | Other facilities and attractions: | hands-on activities by reservation: making mud-bricks, pita-baking in a traditional oven, and more. |  | Hours: | April–September 8 A.M.–5 P.M.
October–March 8 A.M– 4 P.M. |  | Phone: | 08-646-7286 |  | Fax / Email: | |  | Entrance fee: | NIS 13; child: NIS 7
Israeli senior citizen: 50% discount
Group (over 30 people): Adult: NIS 12: child NIS 6 |  | Entrance to dogs: | |  | Accessibility: | | | | |
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Main tourist sites in the vicinity:
The Negev Brigade Monument |
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