Acre (Israel)
From Encyclopædia
{ahk'-ur} Acre (Hebrew: Akko) is a coastal
city of Israel, on the Bay of
Haifa, 19 km (12 mi) north of
Haifa. It has a population of 38,700 (1980 est.). Although its once thriving port has filled with sand, its beaches are popular with vacationers. A fortified harbor and old crusader capital, Acre has been besieged repeatedly over the centuries by Romans,
Arabs, Crusaders,
Turks, and British. The Crusaders called it
saint Jean d'Acre. In 1922, Acre became part of the British mandate of
Palestine, and in 1948, part of Israel. The ancient section of the
city includes the
crypt of
saint John, dating from the 13th century, and old Arab inns. The Mosque of Jazzar Pasha and other elaborate buildings were constructed in the 18th century. The British citadel
prison in Acre was the scene of fierce Jewish resistance fighting in 1948.
