Ancient Aqueduct Carries Family Fun

With a formula that combines history, adventure, wet fun and antiquities an afternoon at Park Alona can't help but be successful.

Located off of Route 4, about 20 minutes from Caesarea and Zichron Yaacov, and just south of the Carmel Mountain range, a stop at the Park Alona (known locally as "Mei Kedem" - hebrew for Water Spring) is an easy add on to a day at Caesarea, Zichron Yaacov or Haifa, and particularly worthwhile if it is a hot day.

We arrived in the park a bit before 4 pm and just in time to take the hourly guided tour provided on site by the park guide,  who was fantastic and spoke in perfect English. Our first stop after changing into our swimsuits (you will get wet!) was a 10 minute movie on the history and discovery of the ancient water tunnels located  below the ground. To understand this system it is important to realize that Caesarea, an important port city that was built during the reign of Herod did not have its own water supply system. Residents of the time had to somehow bring the water from Galilee down to Caesarea and they engineered this by creating a sophisticated 23 kilometer long network of conduits consisting of aquaducts, clay pipes, and other tunnels to carry the water down to the Caesarea port city. The system appears to have operated during the Roman and Byzantine periods.

Interestingly it was only in 1967 that local farmers happened upon the discovery of this vast underground network, after which a 6 km portion of the aquaduct, was restored. Visitors have the opportunity to walk through a 500 meter portion of the restored aquaduct After several steep steps down one gains access into the partially lighted aquaduct. With somewhat low ceilings, clammy walls, and several twists and turns, the short walk is filled with adventure. The aqueduct still carries water and can be as high as 1 meter or so. Walking through the tunnel visitors can still see the carved out spaces along the walls where the Romans and others would keep candles in order to light the long pathway.

Today, just as in the Herodian and Byzantine periods, the tunnels are still full from the rain water though now  water pumps are used to  bring the water to the national water carrier, Mekorot.

Entrance admission is approximately $10 per person (40 shekel) and includes the guided tour and movie. There are changing facilities but no lockers. Opened from 8 am to 5 pm in the summer months.