Tel Beersheba

Tel Beersheba is an archeological site believed to be the remains of the biblical Beersheba. It is 5 km east from the modern city.

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The site was excavated from 1969 to 1976 by the Tel Aviv University Institute of Archaeology. The earliest remains of the Tel ("a hill" in English) date back to the fourth millennium BCE, it was abandoned for two thousand years and then re-inhabited during the 11th century BCE.

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The peripheral shape of the city is elliptical, and it was surrounded by walls. In the eastern part there was a gate. The city was divided into three parts separated by a 2-meter wide street that surrounded the entire site. The main structures in the ancient city were six storage houses covering an area of 600 square meters. They provided the space needed to store a large variety of food for civilian and military purposes. On top of the Tel (at the height of 307 meters), there is a modern watchtower from which you can enjoy a splendid view of the city of Beersheba and the towns of Omer, Tel Sheva and others. From this point it is also possible to see most of the excavation areas of the Tel. The view is very impressive.

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There was a stone altar used for religious ceremonies. The altar was discovered by Israeli archeologists. Today, the original altar is displayed in the Museum of Israel in Jerusalem. What you see at the entrance to the National Park is a reconstruction of it. If you intend to visit this amazing archeological site, don't miss the opportunity to see the deepest well in Israel (69 meters) and throw a stone into it to check how deep it is.

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In the 1990s, the excavations were resumed in order to complete the exposure of the water plant, and after extensive conservation work it was opened in 2003 for visitors. Another "must" at this site is an enormous water storage construction. To see it, you have to go a long way down the spiral ladder but it is definitely worth the effort.