Bet She'an National Park (Beit She'an, Israel)
Bet She’an National Park in Israel’s Jordan Valley is rich in the history of the Middle East. First occupied during the late Bronze Age (16th century BCE), the site has been an Egyptian imperial outpost, a walled Philistine stronghold, an Israelite administrative center, a Greek polis, a Hellenistic city, a Hasmonean town, and a Roman city (first pagan, then Christian)–and in the wake of major earthquake, it was a Moslem village. Today, Bet She’an is a modern Israeli city that adjoins and preserves the archaeological remnants of this diverse past. Highlights of the park include a Biblical tel with views of the nearby city and the Bet She’an valley, an intact 7,000-seat Roman amphitheater, a Byzantine bathhouse, and a colonnaded Greek street. Sound and light shows are shown in the park 4 nights a week (reservations required). Facilities include a visitor center, gift shop, and snack bar. Tours and other programs are available, some of which are presented in the amphitheater. The park is open to visitors the year round.
Contact
Bet She'an, Telephone: +972(2)5006261 | Fax: +972(4)6581899 | Official site