Katzrin - Katzrin

Katzrin is a city occupied by Israel Golan Heights.

background

The city of Katzrin was founded in 1977. It was practically planned on the drawing board and should accommodate up to 25,000 residents, today there are around 7,000. In the city is the Israeli administrative headquarters of the Golan Regional Council.

The place is not far from the former village Kisrinwhich was destroyed by an earthquake in the 8th century. As a “retort city”, Katzrin doesn't have much to offer in terms of tourism - the city is nice, but unspectacular.

The area was already settled in the Bronze Age and a first settlement was destroyed in Roman times. In the Byzantine - early Arab times a Jewish settlement was built around a synagogue, which was destroyed by a severe earthquake in 746/49. Under the Mamluk the place was Arab, on the ruins of the former synagogue a mosque was built; in the late 19th century the place is described as a Bedouin settlement, under the French mandate of Syria, which at that time encompassed the Golan, it had a population partly of Bedouins and partly of sedentary people.

getting there

Katzrin is on road 87 approx. 15 km northeast of the Sea of ​​Galilee, After the Israeli annexation, the Golan is under Israeli jurisdiction (even if international recognition is still missing) and can be traveled from Israel without any problems.

mobility

Locally one moves on foot.

Tourist Attractions

• The city's Archaeological Museum displays the Excavations of Kisrin ("Ancient Katzrin") and the settlement history of the Golan.
• There is one in the industrial area of ​​Katzrin Winerywho sells wines from the Golan. Depending on the quality level, they are under the label Golan for affordable quality, Gamla for the upscale segment and Yarden marketed for very good wines; Wines of the latter stage have already won numerous awards. Wines can be tasted in the visitor center and tours are offered.
• Next to the winery is the visitor center of the Golan Olive Oil MillIn addition to guided tours through the factory, products from the field of cosmetics are also offered. Open Sun-Thu 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fri 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed on Saturday (Shabbat).

• Katzrin Ancient Village

The ancient synagogue was discovered in 1967 and excavated together with the surrounding settlement in 1971/84. In one part of the settlement houses were reconstructed and partly with antique resp. Equipped with reconstructed equipment, there is an antique oil and wine press.

activities

shop

There are numerous shops around the central square, which is furnished with modern sculptures; small supermarkets and grocery stores, some clothing boutiques and a sporting goods store.
There is a small shopping mall at the entrance to the village.
In the central Golan are the best resp. almost only self-catering shopping that doesn't make its way down Tiberias or [[Kiriyat Shmona] want to take on.

kitchen

The city center of Katzrin is ideal for snacks, as there are many small cafés and shops. The "best falafel of the world" are served in the mall, especially since they are extremely good.

nightlife

accommodation

Learn

• the Ohalo College is a teachers' seminar that has been based in Katzrin since 1988; training courses on dealing with energy and on the subject of renewable energies are exceptional.

security

The Golan, conquered in 1967 and held in Israeli hands despite a Syrian advance towards Galilee in 1973 in the Yom Kippur War, was formally annexed by Israel in 1981 and is now under Israeli jurisdiction. If only about 20 kilometers resp. 20 minutes by car from the (closed) Syrian border, the security situation in the central Golan has been harmless for years - only the increased military presence in the Golan reminds us that the area was fought over 40 years ago and that UNO units continued to enter the near ceasefire zone monitor.

health

The next larger hospital with an emergency room is located in Tiberias.

Practical advice

trips

• Visit to "Ancient Qazrin" with its archaeological site
• Visit the nature parks in Nahal Yehudyia and the archaeological site of Gamla.

literature

Web links

• http://katsrin.com/en/ - Official website of Katzrin