Part 1 - Movement of the geological plates and the birth of Ateret Hill -
The Jordan Rift is part of a geological fracture that rends the earth's crust along some 1,0oo kilometers, from the Taurus Mountains (Turkey) in the north to the southern Gulf of Eilat.
Pic. 1 - The rift is the result of the horizontal movement of two huge rock plates; The Arabian plate is moving northward, the Sinai plate is also moving northward but at a much slower pace. This movement manifests itself in earthquakes that occur once every few decades or centuries over millions of years. At points where the plates meet, hills or even high mountain ranges are formed, for example, Mount Hermon. Ateret Hill, above the Jordan riverbed, is such a meeting point.
Part 2 - The rise and fall of the Ateret Fortress -
The Knights Templar, with the assistance of Baldwin IV, king of Jerusalem, built a fortified structure controlling the Jordan ford and the road to Damascus. Saladin and his warriors attacked the fortress twice in the summer of 1179. They finally breachied it, killed hundredstof men and took the rest captive, along with abundant spoils.
Part 3 - The Crusader city gate
Photos 2 & 3 - The part of the hill which is under the western wall, shifted southward due to repeated earthquakes. The eastern wall shifted northward.
Part 4 - Earthquakes that shaped Aterat Hill -
Photo 4 -
2nd century BC - An earthquake destroyed the Hellenistic settlement and pushed the walls east to north and west to south.
1179-1178 - Ateret Fortress, it was built by the Crusaders and destroyed by the Muslims
1202 - A strong earthquake displaced the eastern part of the destroyed mosque 1.6 meter to the north, relative to its western part.
The Ottoman period - A mosque was built on the ruins of the Fortress
1759 - A strong earthquake moved the walls of the mosque and all the layers of the hill below it by about half a meter.
Ateret Fortress - Consider a visit, it's fascinating
Photo 5 - a map of the location
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