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Latrun is a location in Israel, acquired historical importance at this strategic position on the connecting road between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem a crusader castle, a Trappist monastery and a British police fort built during the mandate, which later became the access axis under Jordanian control until it was reconquered in the Six Day War Jerusalem blocked.
background
In the valley Ayalon found according to biblical tradition (Joshua 10,1-11 ) the battle took place in which the army of the Israelites under Joshua defeated the Amorites after the LORD had let the sun and moon stand still and thus given his people a time advantage.
During the time of the Crusades, the Order of the Knights Templar built a crusader fortress on the strategically important hill, of which only the remains of the square tower have survived.
In the vicinity of a small Arab village, some Trappist monks founded an abbey in Latrun, only a few members of the Cistercian order in the French bustard had endured the turmoil of the French Revolution with the expropriation of monasteries. The monks tended the lands, planted vineyards and established a priory, but in the days of the First World War they were expelled from the then government of the Ottoman Empire. It was not until 1926 that they were able to return and start building the current monastery; The monastery survived the turmoil of the fighting over the police station Latrun through neutrality, and in 1953 the construction of the church could finally be completed.
The British mandate power built a number of police forts in strategic positions in the wake of the Arab uprisings of 1936/39. One of the Tegart Fort, which got their name after their builder, was built at the strategically important position above the connecting road between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in Latrun. In the immediate vicinity there were prison camps for German and Italian prisoners of war from the African campaign, residents of Palestine who were suspected of cooperating with the Nazis, Arabs who were accused of participating in the uprisings of 1936/39 and cooperating with the Nazi-friendly Arab leadership, and Jewish independence fighters from the irregular Jewish militias. After Israel declared independence, the British handed over the police force to the Jordanian Arab Legion, which was set up with British support.
Because of ongoing attacks on convoys to supply the Jewish population in the besieged Jerusalem, which were fired with shell fire by the Jordanian units in spite of the UN resolutions, the leadership of the Jewish Haganah attempted to conquer the Tegart Fort. Between May 24, 1948 and July 18, the Jewish troops made multiple attempts to take the Latrun Fortress and had to withdraw with heavy losses. The use of Holocaust survivors and communication problems caused by the language diversity among the Jewish fighters leaves the memory Battles for Latrun do not fade so quickly. After the defeat of the Israeli troops, Fort Latrun remained in Jordanian hands until 1967 and was surrounded by a strip of no-man's-land, the main road to Jerusalem remained impassable for Israelis. To supply the city of Jerusalem besieged by Arab troops, a bypass road had to be built between the end of May and June 10th outside the range of the guns of Latrun, initially the goods had to be divided into loads and later the heavy vehicles had to be pulled up the gravel road with tractors. Nevertheless, this so-called "Burma Road"and a makeshift water pipeline to replace the blocked main water line will ensure that Jerusalem is supplied with supplies, weapons, ammunition and water.
In the Six Day War, the Ramallah The bridgehead of the Jordanian army reaching to the fortress Latrun was finally captured, battle marks on the facades of the fort Latrun still bear witness to the fighting. A memorial and a museum, in which the processes of the Battles of Latrun are presented. in the Museum of the Israeli Armored Force all armored vehicles and loot vehicles used in the Israeli army are on display.
getting there
By plane
Most visitors travel over that Ben Gurion Airport of Tel Aviv which is only a good 15-minute drive away.
By train / bus
In the street
Latrun is at the strategically important position at the intersection between the expressway 1 between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and the 3 to Ashkelon. From the exit to the Latrun Interchange you drive a short section on the 3 and can then turn right to the rest stop and the tank museum at Tegart-Fort Latrun and left to the Trappist monastery Latrun.
mobility
A private vehicle makes visiting the monastery and tank museum and fort Latrun much easier. Various hiking trails are signposted around the Latrun Monastery.
Tourist Attractions
- from the former 1 Crusader castle Latrun only a few ruins are preserved. A small evangelical community of the Jesus Brotherhood Gnadenthal lives nearby.
- 2 Trappists - Latrun Monastery, P.O.Box 753, 72100 Rahmleh. Tel.: (0)8-9255180, Fax: (0)8-9255084. Open: Church tours in summer 8.30 a.m.-12 p.m., 3.30 p.m.-5 p.m. in winter 8.30 a.m.-11 a.m. and 2.30 p.m.-4 p.m.: The monastery was founded by French monks in 1890 in the area of a former pilgrims' hostel, first a priory was established and vines and olive trees were planted in the 200 hectares of land belonging to it. After the looting by the Ottomans in 1917, the foundation stone for today's Latrun Monastery was laid in 1926, the crypt was completed in 1933 and the entire building with the bell tower was completed in 1953.
- The monastery church is currently being renovated (autumn 2017); Various wines, olive oil and other products made by the monks are sold in the monastery. The monks keep the prayer times according to the monastery rule of St. Benedict, the Eucharist is celebrated on Saturday at 11.30 a.m. (winter months 10.30 a.m.) and on Sunday at 11.00 a.m. (winter at 10.00 a.m.), guests are also invited to participate.
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- 3 Yad La'Shiryon Latrun / Armed Corps Museum, P.O.Box 745, 71106 Lod. Tel.: 972 8925 5268, Fax: 972 8925 5186, Email: [email protected].: A memorial and museum of the Israeli armored forces was established around the Tegart Fort Latrun. In the center stands the old one, still marked by the traces of battle Tegart Fort. Inside there is a memorial to the Israeli tank troops who died in the various wars, with a database containing the biographical details of each person who fell; plus conference rooms and an exhibition with information about the battle for Latrun. Stairs (
Lift) on the east side leads to the roof terrace of the fort, where there is a good view of the location of the fighting. In the courtyard, aligned with the wall with the names of the fallen soldiers, are all of the Israeli armored forces deployed Armored vehicles, especially the Merkava main battle tank. In 1979, a Sherman tank was hoisted onto the water tower formerly used by the British and has become the symbol of the tank museum. In a long row there are tanks captured during combat operations with emblems of the other warring nations and behind the museum a large number of armored vehicles that were never used in the Israeli campaigns. and a makeshift element bridge developed for crossing the Suez Canal.
- There is also a large open-air amphitheater on the site that can be used for military ceremonies. In one corner there is a special bird radar system with which bird migration can be observed. The device, specially tailored to the needs of ornithologists, replaced the use of the airport radar at Ben Gurion Airport for this purpose.
activities
- Hikes and walks on the marked hiking trails around Latrun
- Visiting the exhibition of Armored vehicles of Yad La'Shiryon
- Those interested in recent history can also take the route of the "Burma Road", the bypass around the fort to supply Jerusalem and the national park of Castel visit the hill further east on the route to Jerusalem was also fiercely contested.
shop
- The Latrun monastery shop sells wine, olive oil and other products grown on the monastery property.
kitchen
- the cafebar and the restaurant of the 1 Latrun rest area is also popular on Shabbat.
