The route along the southern part of the Ashdod coastal strip leads to the most impressive remains of a fortress ever built in the land during the early Arab period, passing through some of the city’s most famous squares and ending at one of the most beautiful beaches on the coastal plain.

On your way to the first point on the route, travel along Moshe Dayan Boulevard, along the beautiful city coastline, in an area that served for thousands of years as a central trading and port city. To your right is the Sports and Leisure Promenade, which stretches from Shuk Ashdod-Yam (see in the route “Along the Sea: Nostalgia and the Smell of Spices Among the First City Houses“) along the beach next to it along section 11. It includes, in addition to a walking route, seating areas, picnic tables, sports and fitness facilities, and in part, is even paved with impressive artistic mosaics.

As you continue south along Moshe Dayan Boulevard, pay attention to the beautiful villas on your left. Until the establishment of the City Quarter, Quarters 12 and 15, Quarter 11 was considered the most prestigious in Ashdod. Today, this area is still one of the most sought-after and expensive in the city. At the intersection of Moshe Dayan Boulevard and Nahal HaYarkon Street, you will find Kikar HaTzoedim (Sentinel Square), named after Gil Kako. Employees of the Israel Electric Corporation, from the Ashkol Power Station, initiated the square’s design and the figures that appear to be marching in it, in memory of their friend, Gil Kako, who was killed in a road accident during his military service. Artist Aharon Shinui created the metal sculptures, depicting everyday actions such as walking, running, and leisurely strolling, with each sculpture having a unique appearance.

Continue south on Moshe Dayan Boulevard and turn right at Kikar HaShalom (Peace Square), named after Yael Esraff, following the signs to the fortress. The “Broken Peace” sculpture in the square is the creation of artist David Sozna from 2002. The sculpture, made of stone and golden metal, represents the fragility of peace in the region and the hope for a better future.

A short distance after the turn, you can already see the impressive remains of Ashdod-Yam Fortress,

located a short distance from the waterline, on a beach that has gained the name of the residents: “Mitzadat HaMetsuda” (The Fortress Beach). The archaeological site, one of the most important in the area, displays remains dating back to the Iron Age, about 3,000 years ago when Ashdod was one of the five Philistine cities and one of the most prominent among them.
Ashdod-Yam Fortress was built by Sargon II, King of Assyria, to prevent an invasion of the city’s territory. At that time, Ashdod-Yam was a thriving trade city, boasting, among other things, magnificent buildings, a large continuous wall, and a wide moat, along with many churches. Today, the impressive site is considered one of the most romantic places in Ashdod. You can enjoy breathtaking sunsets here all year round, and at the end of summer, you can even enjoy the beautiful blossoming of the night-blooming cereus and the white beach morning glory.

From here, continue to one of the impressive remnants of the signaling system that led from Ashdod-Yam Fortress to Ramla – HaMitsadit.

Return to Moshe Dayan Boulevard and turn right. In the distance, you will see the large Eye of the Sun sculpture in the center of Jubilee Square, which you will reach shortly. Turn left onto Mota Gur Street, and after a few meters, turn right onto B’Te’avon Street, then right onto Van Gogh Street. Continue with the winding road turning left and becoming Hassidei Umot HaOlam Street, and ahead, you will see the small hill in the heart of the square, on which the remnants of HaMitsadit are located.

The ancient signaling tower, built in parallel with the Ashdod-Yam Fortress during the early Islamic period, is located in the heart of the modern and pastoral neighborhood in Quarter 15. On the western side of the square, there is a set of stairs leading to the top of the hill (on the southern side, there is an additional entrance suitable for children’s strollers). Climb it and reach the remains of the signaling tower, which served as a connecting point between Ashdod and the Arab rule in the nearby city of Ramla.

After enjoying the beautiful view from the top of the hill, head south on Hassidei Umot HaOlam Street towards the next point on the route, just a few minutes’ walk away. Cross Montefiore Street, and on your left, you will notice the beautiful She’er Yishuv Synagogue.

From the steps of the synagogue, you can see the beautiful seafront of Ashdod. Now, return to Montefiore Street and turn left toward Jubilee Square

. The large sculpture in the heart of the square has become one of the city’s landmarks. The Eye of the Sun sculpture, soaring to a height of 18 meters, is the creation of artist Motti Mizrachi and is considered by many to be a monumental and exceptional work of art.

The eastern side of the giant lens, resembling an eye, is yellow and represents the sun, while the western side is gray-silver and represents the moon. In the center, there is a slightly smaller, semi-transparent glass lens that allows the sun and the moon to be captured or swallowed at certain angles into this protruding eye. The sculpture is anchored on its side with a gray stone base with a diameter of thirty meters and is surrounded by a large elliptical square.

After admiring the sculpture, you can continue on foot towards the beach, just a 300-meter walk away, or return to your car and drive to it. Bar Sheva Beach,

the southernmost and most organized beach in Ashdod and one of the beautiful beaches on the coastal plain, which was inaugurated in 2010 and has since received countless names and nicknames, including Quarter 15 Beach, Riviera Beach, Southern Beach, Circles Beach, and the New Beach. Its current name was given in 2014 when Be’er Sheva Mayor, Ruvik Danilovich, appealed to Ashdod Mayor, Dr. Yehiel Lasri, to name the beach after the capital of the Negev, as a tribute to the southern city.

On your way to the attractive beach, from the north of the square at the entrance to the beach, and from the south-west of the remains of Ashdod-Yam Fortress, another archaeological site is located, where fascinating findings from various periods have been discovered, from the Late Bronze Age to the Mamluk period. The fortified complex resembles a horseshoe, surrounded by a thick wall, and in its vicinity, the foundations of various buildings and pools were found. Researchers believe that the fortress was built by a local ruler who rebelled against the Assyrian rule during the reign of Sargon II. Access to the site may not be allowed due to ongoing archaeological excavations.