Latrun – a magic place combining ancient and modern history

Let’s go on a tour that combines ancient and modern history with fun for the family. Strategically positioned on a hill in the Ayalon valley, overlooking the road to Jerusalem, is Latrun, which due to its prominence in the landscape, has been the scene of many battles, ancient and modern.
 

 
Deriving its name from the Crusader fortress, “La Toron des Chevaliers”, remnants of which can be found to this day, or perhaps from its Christian namesake “Domus boni latronis” in reference to the thief hung by the Romans next to Jesus, it also known as site of the ancient Battle of Emmaus, fought by Judah the Maccabee in which he vanquished the invading Greek army, as well as the site of bloody battles fought and lost more recently, during the War of Independence in 1948.
Emmaus became a Christian holy site, reputed to be where Jesus appeared to some of his disciples after his resurrection, and excavations carried out in the area have uncovered, among others, the remains of a 6th century basilica and a Crusader church.
 

 
In the late nineteenth century, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem requested a monastery be established at Latrun. Some Trappist monks of French, German and Belgian origin, purchased land with a building, and founded Our Lady of the Sorrows, which they still inhabit. Assisted by Baron de Rothschild and the Carmel Mizrahi Winery, the monks established a vineyard and winery, which has become renowned for its wines that are sold at the monastery shop.
From 1948 to 1967 Latrun was a salient occupied by the Jordanian Legionnaires, with vantage points overlooking the valley, such as the Tegart Fort established by the British during the Palestinian mandate, from which snipers would target the road to Jerusalem, forcing the construction of a bypass route through Beit Shemesh.
 

 
After being liberated in 1967, the Tegart Fort became a museum and memorial for the IDF armored corps. The tanks on display are a favorite with children and adults alike, and climbing aboard is permitted and from there you can make your way to the nearby Mini-Israel Park which houses miniature replicas of all the important landmarks and buildings in Israel.
Latrun today is part of the Canada Park nature reserve, which is a wonderful place for picnics and having fun, as well as being home to archeological findings, dating back to biblical times.
 

 
All in all – an outing with a difference we will be happy to include on your next visit.