 Majdal Shams | ||
| Majdal Shams, Majdal Shams, Hebrew מַגְ'דַל שַׁמְס, arab. مجدل شمس | ||
| Subdistrict | Golan | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 11.180 (2019) | |
| height | 1,130 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Majdal Shams is a small town inhabited by the Druze in the Israel annexed in violation of international law Golan Heights.
background
The small town inhabited by the Syrian Druze is located on the southern slope of the Hermon.
Depending on the source, Majdal Shams was at the end of the 16th century. or in the 18th century founded to strengthen the Druze presence on the southern slope of the Hermon. Under Ottoman rule, the place was the seat of a Mudir, the place became a destination for geologists and soon also tourists. The residents of Majdal Shams were into the Syrian revolution, the predominantly Druze uprising against the French mandate power.
During the Six Day War, the Golan Heights came under Israeli rule, unlike residents of other Druze settlements, the residents of Majdal Shams and some other Druze settlements were given permission to stay. In contrast to Druze in north-western Israel, the inhabitants continued to identify with the Syrian state and only a small proportion of them named the Israeli citizenship that was later offered.
After the formal annexation of the Golan Heights by the Knesset, the parliament of Israel, the residents of Majdal Shams remained skeptical of Israel. After initially communicating with family members remaining in Syria was only possible with megaphones at the "Shouting Hill" near the border, today the Druze have limited possibilities to cross the border for pilgrimages to religious sites or for educational purposes.
The region is known for the apples and cherries grown in the Golan, Majdal Shams is best known for its Druze restaurants, partly also as a shopping opportunity for the sparsely populated region of the Golan.
getting there
The Golan Heights annexed by Israel can only be reached from Israel; travelers cannot cross the ceasefire lines monitored by UNDOF to Syria.
By plane
The nearest international airport is that of Tel Aviv.
By train
The Golan Heights cannot be reached by rail.
By bus
There are sparse bus connections from Kirjat Shmona via Majdal Shams on to El-Rom.
In the street
From Kirjat Shmona becomes the city on the main street 99 above Mas'ada reached, from there the 98 north to Majdal Shams and on to the winter sports areas at Hermon. The branch line over the 989 via Neve Ativ unites with the shortly before Majdal Shams 98.
The main road 98 leads away Mas'ada on the Golan Heights from the main axis in a southern direction.
mobility
Tourist Attractions
- Ski area on Hermon (Mount Hermon Ski Resort)
activities
shop
- The Golan Heights are known for the apples and cherries grown here, which are also sold on site
- There are various boutiques in Majdal Shams, some of which are the only shops in the area in the sparsely populated Golan Heights.
kitchen
- Majdal Shams is known for its numerous restaurants with Druze cuisine
nightlife
accommodation
security
health
Practical advice
trips
- to the ski area at Hermon resp. the nature park
Lake Ram
- to the 1 Lake Ram resp. Berekhat Ram at Mas'ada:
- The oval-shaped "crater lake" is only fed by underground springs and rainwater and does not have a drain either, it serves as a drinking water reservoir and to irrigate the orchards in the area. A partly paved slope and a marked path surround the lake.
Odem Forest Nature Reserve
- the 2 Odem Forest Nature Reserve extends in the area of the 1090 m high Mount Odem, it is a larger area with still preserved trees on the Golan Heights.
- from a parking lot on the street 978 you can reach the abyss of the 3 Big Juba crater. It is a huge volcanic crater, at the bottom of which exceptional vegetation can develop due to special climatic conditions. There are 22 such volcanic craters in the Odem Forest Reserve, of which the Big Juba is the most impressive with a diameter of 250 m and a depth of 60 meters. (Descent into the Juba is not permitted).
literature
Web links
- http://www.majdal.co.il/ - Official website of Majdal Shams
