Yechi’am Fortress National Park

Originally built in the 12th century by the Crusaders as Jiddin Fortress to guard the mountain pass road leading to Acre, the citadel was later captured and dismantled by the Mamluk Sultan Baibars in 1265. In the mid-18th century, the autonomous Bedouin ruler of the Galilee, Sheikh Dhaher al-Omar, rebuilt and fortified the site, adding grand vaulted halls, watchtowers, bathhouses, and thick defensive perimeter walls that still define the skyline today.

The 1948 Siege & Modern Heritage

During the 1948 War of Independence, Kibbutz Yehiam – established two years earlier near the ancient ruins – was placed under a prolonged siege by Arab Liberation Army forces. Members of the kibbutz and Haganah fighters utilized the fortress’s thick Ottoman stone walls, vaulted chambers, and ancient watchtowers as defensive bunkers. Visitors today can explore the restored communication trenches, defensive positions, and a memorial exhibit detailing the historic Yehiam Convoy attempt and the defense of the Western Galilee settlement.