Please Note:

Access to the fortress is currently blocked due to construction work

The Ashdod-Yam Fortress (Port of Mina) was built in the late 7th century BCE by the Caliph Abd al-Malik (685-705 BCE) on the ruins of a Byzantine settlement. The fortress served as part of a coastal defense system designed to prevent Byzantine raids from the sea. The system included a chain of Rabatth (fortresses) along the Mediterranean coast, which maintained constant communication and allowed signaling in times of danger by raising fire columns during the day and smoke at night. In 1033, the fortress was destroyed by an earthquake and abandoned. During the Crusader period (12th-13th centuries BCE), the fortress was renovated and resettled. Its name was changed to “Castel Brouar.” The fortress was finally abandoned after the expulsion of the Crusaders from the land in 1290. As part of the preparation for opening the fortress to the public, excavation and preservation work was carried out by the Ashdod Tourism and Antiquities Authority, with the help of youth and children from the city’s educational institutions.

Currently, the fortress is completing a preservation and development project that will host educational institutions, cultural performances at sunset, and a variety of interactive activities, such as an inflatable planetarium where visitors of all ages will watch a film that takes them back in time to the fortress’s ancient periods, the restoration of ancient pottery, an audiovisual show (video mapping) that will be projected onto the fortress’s walls, special nighttime lighting, and more.

The maintenance work at the fortress included strengthening the supporting walls, removing sand and silt, pouring a floor, and laying paths that make the fortress accessible to visitors and people with disabilities – in a way that has never been done before. In addition, various safety elements were installed to allow a proper and safe visit to the site, underwater work and lighting were carried out to improve the visitor experience throughout the site’s operating hours, and cameras were installed to prevent vandalism.

Above the fortress structure, a “floating” deck was built overlooking the site and the nearby coastline – the golden beaches and turquoise waters of an unannounced beach that enjoys tranquility and pristine nature.

The fortress site is set to host educational and group activities for educational and experiential purposes about the site and the area. It will also serve as a starting point for tours in the ecological park that stretches from the fortress to the Leonardo Hotel. There will be no admission fee to the site, except for guided tours for groups or cultural performances.

You can visit the fortress site throughout the week, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, free of charge.

How to Get There?

You can reach the fortress via the access road connecting Moshe Dayan Street, Peace Square, and the beach. The site is available on WAZE, and parking is free.

For coordination and more information, you can call 050-2211914.