The Bouleuterion, a series of Hellenistic and Roman columns and capitals, graces
the park's center. It served as the Council House Square when Ashkelon was an
autonomous city-state under Severius in the 3rd century CE. The courtyard-like
area next to the Bouleuterion is actually the inside of a Herodian assembly hall; it
contains two statues of Nike, the winged goddess of victory, and an Italian marble
statue of the goddess Isis with her god-child Horus, sculpted between 200 ВСЕ
and 100 CE. Behind the Bouleuterion lies a preserved amphitheater.
Along the southern edge of the park are segments of a wall from the 12th-cen-
tury Crusader city. A short hike past the amphitheater affords a close-up view of the
walls and a glimpse of Ashkelon's Rothenberg Power Station. Most peculiar is the
assembly of Roman columns jutting out of the ancient Byzantine sea wall on the
beach. These massive marble columns were used to support the walls, which were
destroyed in 1191 by Salah al-Din. Richard Lionheart partly restored them in 1192,
as did Cornwall in 1240, only to have them demolished by the Sultan Baybars in
1270. (Admission free,
NIS15 with car. Free maps available at the main entrance.)
ASHKELON KHAN AND ASHKELON MUSEUM. Ashkelon Khan, a 7th-century
tower and courtyard, houses the Ashkelon Museum, which traces the history of
Ashkelon from Roman times to the present and has a small collection of modern
paintings and sculpture. The khan is past the midrahov at the very end of Herzl
St; look for the tower on the left, enter through the courtyard, and the museum
door is on the left.
KIKKAR HA-ATZMA'UT (INDEPENDENCE SQUARE). A few blocks past the
midrahov on Herzl St. this dilapidated intersection was the site of the first read-
ing of Israel's Declaration of Independence in 1948.
gjj] beaches and entertainment_
Ashkelon's coast has four beaches where swimming is permitted; Delilah Beach is
the most popular. Note the flag system: white flags signal safe bathing and black
ASHKELON
flags signal dangerously rough water. At Delilah Beach, breakwaters lessen the
chance of black-flagging, and shady canopies and snack bars provide relief to sun-
scorched bathers. Once the nighttime revelry begins, the crowd of sun bathers
starts discoing to blaring Israeli pop music.
For sand-free water fun, try the Ashkeluna water park . Crowds of
Israeli teenagers and youngsters from Be'er Sheva to Yavneh flock to Ashkeluna's
extensive complex of water slides and games, set to the tune of Israeli pop. The
water park is near Delilah Beach and the T-junction that branches off toward the
national park. (Open daily May-Ocam-4pm. Full day NIS50, after lpm NIS30.)
daytrips from ashkelon
beit guvrin national park
Го reach Beit Guvrin, first travel to Kiryat Gat, which is easily accessible by bus from Tel
Aviv (#369, lh5mm. every 30min. NIS18); Jerusalem (#446, l'Ahr. every hr.
NIS23.50) and Ashkelon (#025, 35min„ every 30min, NIS11.50.) Bus #011 from Kiryat
Gat goes directly to Kibbutz Beit Guvrin (25min.; Su-Th 8:05am and 5:10pm, F 8:05am
and 2pm; return Su-Th 8:30am and 5:30pm, F 8:30am and 2:30pm; NIS8.50). If you
miss the bus from Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Gat Taxis , in the back of the gas sta-
tion to the left will take you to Beit Guvrin. (NIS60, but try haggling.) Call for a taxi from
Beit Guvrin back to Kiryat Gat. The park is just off Rt5, near Kibbutz Beit Guvrin, across
from the gas station. Bring plenty of portable shade (a hat or white scarf, sunglasses, and
sunscreen) and at least l'AL of water.