One of our favourite places to visit near to Haifa is the ancient city of Akka. It is a sepaort town that was first mentioned in an Egyptian text from 19 century BC. It was a canaanite and a Phoenician city. It has been in control of the Greeks (Alexander the Great 336 BC), the Romans, the persians, the Arabs and the Turks. The Crusaders captured it in 1104 and named it St.Jean d'Acre. except for brief intervals, it was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire from 1516 until British forces captured it in 1918. It was part of Palestine under the British mandate and became part of Israel in 1948. There are several Baha'i Holy places in and around Akko. they originate from Baha'u'llah's imprisonment in the Citadel during the Ottoman rule. The final years of Baha'u'llah's life were spent in the Mansion of Bahji, just near Akka, even though He was still formally a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire.
Baha'i Holy Places in Akka include the House of 'Abbud, where Baha'u'llah and His family resided, the House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha where His eldest son, 'Abdu'l-Baha resided with His family, and the Garden of Ridvan where Baha'u'llah enjoyed spending some time during the latter part of His life.
The old city of Akka has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and currently there are vast works of archaeological excavations and the reconstruction of ancient walls and beautiful old buildings in progress.
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