Latrun, Strategic hilltop in Ayalon Valley, Israel.
Latrun is a depopulated village in the Ayalon Valley, located on elevated ground between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in the West Bank. The area features a working monastery and several military structures that date back to different periods.
The monastery was founded in 1890 by French, German, and Flemish monks as a religious community. The region became strategically important during the 1948 conflict when military forces held control of fortified positions at the site.
The Latrun Trappist Monastery, established by French, German, and Flemish monks in 1890, continues its traditions of meditation and agriculture.
Visitors can walk through the monastery grounds and learn about the site's history and the bird observation stations in the area. The best time to visit is during migration seasons when the monitoring activities are most active and visible.
The site houses research stations that have monitored migratory birds for decades and collected important scientific data about bird movements. This work has made the location a global reference center for studying how birds migrate across continents.
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