Acre: Old City Recognized As UNESCO World Heritage Site

Akko is an ancient city that has been inhabited since the time of the Phoenicians. What makes this city unique is that the builds and structure from two time periods can be seen. Remains from both the Crusades and the Ottoman empire are present and a delight for tourists.

For the sort period that the Crusader-Christians ruled Israel, Akko was part of the kingdom of Jerusalem. The buildings left from this time period are found above and below street level. From these buildings it is easy to picture the layout and structure of the town. It also has given historians insight as to what Jerusalem and other cities might have looked like during the Crusade period.

The present day town of Akko closely resembles the way the town looked during the 18th and 19th centuries of the Ottoman empire. It is very close to the way other Ottoman towns looked. Typical Ottoman towns had a wall around them, which is still present in Akko today. Akko also still retains many of its old mosques, khans and baths.

Because of its outstanding universal value, the city was added by UNESCO to its World Heritage List.

Sources: World Heritage