Arsuf

Arsuf is a Crusader castle ruin and archaeological site perched on a cliff above the Mediterranean Sea near Herzliya. The grounds contain fortification walls, residential areas, and working spaces layered from different time periods that visitors can walk through.

Baldwin I seized the fortress from Muslim forces in 1101 and made it a strategic stronghold during the First Crusade campaign. The stronghold remained important for controlling the Mediterranean coast throughout the Crusader period.

The site reveals how many peoples shaped this place over time, from Phoenicians and Romans to Byzantines, Muslims, and Crusaders who left their mark on the landscape. Walking through the ruins, you notice how different communities built upon what came before them.

The site is a national park with marked paths leading through excavations and showing different areas of the fortress. Wear sturdy shoes since the ground is uneven and the cliff edge drops sharply toward the sea.

In 1191 a major battle took place here between Richard the Lionheart and Saladin's army. The Crusader forces used tight defensive formations at the cliff edge to withstand the superior cavalry and won a turning point victory.