Khirbat Al-Burj, Archaeological caravanserai in Binyamina, Israel
Khirbat Al-Burj is a ruined stone khan, or caravanserai, standing about 1 km south of Binyamina in the Sharon Plain. Its courtyard and vaulted arches survive from the Ottoman period, while rescue digs in 2009 and 2018 exposed a small Byzantine building, plastered floors and pools, and Byzantine ceramics beneath the later structure.
The caravanserai was built during the Ottoman period as a rest stop for travelers on trade routes. Kaiser Wilhelm II stayed there in 1898 during his journey to the Holy Land.
The khan's name, Burj el Kheil, means "tower of the horses"; the 1882 Survey of Western Palestine recorded it as a cattle-yard in the plain. Farmers from Zichron Ya'akov, called the Burja'im, slept there during the week while working the surrounding fields. Today a morning restaurant, Burj Bohorayim, serves dishes based on local produce.
The site is accessible via main highways with signs pointing to the archaeological location. The renovated structure now serves as an event venue for visitors to explore.
Excavations in 2009 uncovered substantial remains from the Byzantine period, with ceramics dating to the 5th through 7th centuries. These findings revealed a much longer history of habitation than previously known.
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