Ein Gedi

Ein Gedi (he-n. עֵין גֶּדִי, lit. Kid Spring (as in young goat); KJV Bible Engedi) is an oasis in Israel, located west of the Dead Sea, close to Masada and the caves of Qumran. Location .

at the Ein Gedi nature reserve]]

It is known for its caves, springs, and its rich diversity of flora and fauna. Ein Gedi is mentioned several times in biblical writings, for example, in the Song of Songs; "My beloved is unto me as a cluster of henna flowers in the vineyards of Ein Gedi" (1:14). According to Jewish tradition, David hid from Saul in the caves here; "And David went up from thence, and dwelt in the strongholds of Ein Gedi" (1 Samuel 24:1).

A kibbutz, founded in 1956, is located about a kilometer from the oasis. It offers various tourist attractions and takes advantage of the local weather patterns and the abundance of natural water to cultivate out-of-season produce. Prior to the founding of the kibbutz, the Ein Gedi area had not been permanently inhabited for 500 years.

Ein Gedi National Park

Ein Gedi National Park was founded in 1972 and is one of the most important reserves in Israel. The park is situated on the eastern border of the Judean Desert, on the Dead Sea coast, and covers an area of Шаблон:Convert. The elevation of the land ranges from the level of the Dead Sea at 418 meters (1,371 ft) below sea level to the plateau of the Judean Desert at 200 meters above sea level.

Ein Gedi National Park includes two spring-fed streams with flowing water year-round: Nachal David (David Stream) and Nachal Arugot (Arugot Stream). Two other springs, the Shulamit and Ein Gedi springs, also flow in the reserve. Together, the springs generate approximately three million cubic meters of water per year. Much of the water is used for agriculture or is bottled for consumption.

The park is a sanctuary for many types of plant, bird and animal species. The vegetation includes plants and trees from the tropical, desert, Mediterranean, and steppian regions, such as Sodom apple, acacia, jujube, and poplar. The many species of resident birds are supplemented by over 200 additional species during the migration periods in the spring and fall. Mammal species include the ibex and the hyrax.

In the summer of 2005, nearly two-thirds of the oasis burned to the ground after a tourist dropped a lit cigarette onto the park grounds.

Botanical Garden

Шаблон:Main The kibbutz area contains an internationally acclaimed botanical garden covering an area of 100 dunams (10 ha, 24.7 acres). There one can find more than 900 species of plants from all over the world.

Biblical mentions

In Second Book of Chronicles it is identified with Asasonthamar (Cutting of the Pain), the city of the Amorrhean, smitten by Chedorlaomer in his war against the cities of the plain. Book of Joshua enumerates Ein Gedi among the cities of the Tribe of Judah in the desert Betharaba, but the Book of Ezekiel shows that it was also a fisherman's town. Later on, King David hides in the desert of Engaddi and King Saul seeks him "even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats". Again, it is in Ein Gedi that the Moabites and Ammonites gather in order to fight against Josaphat and to advance against Jerusalem "by the ascent named Sis". Finally, Song of Solomon speaks of the "vineyards of Engaddi"; the words, "I was exalted like a palm tree in Cades" (’en aígialoîs), which occur in Ecclus., xxiv, 18, may perhaps be understood of the palm trees of Ein Gedi.

History

The indigenous Jewish town of Ein Gedi was an important source of balsam for the Greco-Roman world until its destruction by Byzantine emperor Justinian as part of his persecution of the Jews in his realm. A beautiful synagogue mosaic remains from Ein Gedi's heyday, including a Judeo-Aramaic inscription warning inhabitants against "revealing the town's secret" - the methods for extraction and preparation of the much-prized balsam resin - to the outside world.

Between the 13th century and the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Ein Gedi was inhabited at various times by both Jews and Bedouin Arabs.

In April 1848, Lieutenant William Francis Lynch led an American expedition down the Jordan River into the Dead Sea.[1] Upon "discovering" Ein Gedi, he renamed it George Washington Spring.

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

Шаблон:Commonscat

Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Dennis Glibitsky
23 November 2012
Very nice place every evening on weekend singers and local bands.
Enrico Farinazzo
3 August 2011
Cheers! Grat place to have a beer by night
Karin Aldea
15 September 2010
Great atmosphere...
Load more comments
foursquare.com

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Sehatty Resort

starting $83

Ein Gedi Kibbutz Hotel

starting $131

HI Ein Gedi Hostel

starting $37

HI Massada Hostel

starting $40

Kfar Hanokdim

starting $315

TRYP by Wyndham Jerusalem Bat Sheva

starting $0

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Cave of Letters

The Cave of Letters is a cave located in the Dead Sea area that

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Dead Sea

The Dead Sea (he-n. יָם הַ‏‏מֶ‏ּ‏לַ‏ח, Шаблон:Transl, 'Sea

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Masada

Masada (Hebrew מצדה, pronounced Metzada, from מצודה, metzuda, 'fortres

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Susya

Susya (Hebrew: סוּסְיָא‎) refers to the site of an ancient village o

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Cave of the Patriarchs

The Cave of the Patriarchs (Hebrew: מערת המכפלה, Me'arat HaMachpel

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Machaerus

Machaerus (Arabic: ِقلة المشناقى Qalatu l-Mishnāqá, Hebrew Mechwa

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Herodium

Herodium or Herodion (הרודיון, Arabic: هيروديون, Jabal al-Fraidees) i

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Judea

Judea or Judæa (Hebrew: יהודה, Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Шаблон

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
New Forest

The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Selous Game Reserve

The Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest fauna reserves of the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Ras Muhammad National Park

Ras Mohammad (Arabic: رأس محمد‎ literary Arabic Ra's Muħamm

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Nanda Devi National Park

The Nanda Devi National Park is a national park situated around the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Sundarbans National Park

The Sundarbans National Park (Bengali: সুন্দরবন জাতীয় উদ্যান S

See all similar places