Sign in with Facebook- Join for free
- Sign In
Sign in with Facebook
The fortress is located in a natural forest in the upper Galilee mountains. The climb is not that easy as it was built on top of a rather steep hill.
The fortress was probably built in Roman times, but it wasn't really important until much later,. The second crusader period, in the 13th century. At 1271, after a siege by the Mamluk sultan, Bibberas, the crusaders left the fortress without a fight and went back to Acre.
Updated Apr 4, 2011
This is the Katlav tree. The bark is an almost the burnt red color of blood with a lighter color under it. The tree is very "striking". Keep an eye out for it and see if you can find one. There is a story of HOW the tree got its color. The storyteller explains that there was a brave soldier, killed in battle and fell over a white barked tree when he was killed unfairly in battle by an attack from behind. That is one explanation.
The second explantation is that the blood color is caused by all the tour guides whose blood was spilled by the people on their tour in punishment for telling that story.
Updated Oct 29, 2003
Favorite thing: This was apparently the watch tower, closest to the western approaches to the site. It is totally seperated today from the main buildings and there is no apparent connection to the main building, it stood alone.
Written Oct 29, 2003
Favorite thing: This was in the western most room or possibly the commanders quarters. There are several decorated supports for the roof that are much larger and ornate than the ones found in the rest of the fortress. What you see here is about 2.5 meters tall.
Written Oct 29, 2003
Favorite thing: In the corner you can see the remains of the support for the roof. It looks like this fortress was provided with a stone roof as opposed to a wood beam roof.
Written Oct 29, 2003
Favorite thing: This was apparently the main hall, as it was the biggest room. It could also have been a church, but I did not see any religious signs on what was left of the walls.
Written Oct 29, 2003
Favorite thing: You can estimate the size of the building blocks the Romans used to construct this fortress which, along with Yechiam, protected this lucrative trade route.
Updated Oct 29, 2003
Favorite thing: We climbed to the observation point to see the main tower of what is left of the ruins at Monfort. You can see the main tower there in the distance behind Tal. You can estimate the height by the idiot who has climbed to the top to "show his friends". All the time we were there I was waiting for this idiot to fall and then we would have to call in the rescue team. Luckily for us, HIS luck held out that day and he did not recieve a Darwin Award.
Updated Oct 29, 2003
Favorite thing: All the registered trails in Israel are marked as you see here in the picture, two white stripes on the outside with a color on the inside. The inside color may be green, black, blue, red or even orange. You can purchase topographical maps on a scale of 1:50,000 and these maps will show the trails and the color they are marked in.
Written Oct 29, 2003
This is the highest tower of Monfort, overlooking the valley below. The Crusaders built this edifice to protect the trade route through this area. There is a second fortress, Yehiam, not far away.
Less known than other crusader fortresses in Israel, but just as beautiful. The fortress is located on a steep hill in the middle of the Upper Galilee mountains. There are beautiful views of the...
Build your own Montfort page
Comments