Israel: General > Reviews > Jaffa

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Advantages:	history and art
Disadvantages:	unstable political situation

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yes

Full review

This city is called with different names according to the language used.

In the Bible it was called "Joppa", in Hebrew is "Yafo", in Arab is "Jaffa" (and in my review I will use the name "Jaffa").

Jaffa is the oldest city located along the Mediterranean shore, and its port was on duty since the Egyptian and Phoenician ages.
Archaeological excavations discovered findings 4.000 years old and according to such recovers it quite sure that Jaffa has been established during the Canaanites era.

Jaffa means "beautiful" and it is true because from any side to watch this city you find it always beautiful.

As in any place with more than one religion also for Jaffa the origin of the name and of the city has different interpretations.
According to the archaeological findings the city has been founded by the Canaanites but according to the Old Testament was Jafet, one of Noah sons, the founder of Jaffa that began the establishment of the city just after the Deluge. And furthermore Jaffa or, better, Joppa is mentioned many times in the Old Testament linked to Prophets narrations.
The Prophet Jonah sailed from Jaffa for his trip during which he was swallowed by a whale; and Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, made hid very first miracle in this city.

Jaffa, during the centuries, has been built, destroyed and then built again, and this several times.
It has been subdued by Egyptians, Romans, Alexander the Great, Richard Lion-heart, the Saladin, Napoleon. And then was part of the British Empire. In 1958 became part of Israel.
Today, practically, it is a suburb of Tel Aviv even it is a municipality called Tel Aviv-Yafo.
65% of its inhabitants is of Arabic origin with Israeli citizenship.

The city is an array of sandstone houses that appears between rocks and dunes along the shore of the blue Mediterranean sea.

Jaffa deserves a visit but, unfortunately, the current political situation in Israel and the guerrilla with Palestinians reduces the possibility to do it. It is not really relaxing walking or moving around with the possibility to be involved in a terrorist outrage.
Myself, I have visited Jaffa few years ago when the situation was a bit quieter even around there were armed Israeli forces and many check-points.

Try to forget to situation and follow me in a tour that requires two days to complete, if you wish to visit Jaffa and to have the right feeling of this really beauty of Mediterranean sea.

Our tour start from the Clock Square and the very simple architecture of its Clock Tower. The tower has been erected at the beginning of 20th century, during the Ottoman Empire, the celebrate the 25th anniversary of sultan Abdul Hamid accession.

Then we move to the Mahmoudiyeh (that means "great") mosque. Also this building has a very simple architecture and is completed with a tall minaret with two balconies. On one of the outside walls there is a fountain where the believers can drink before or after the Friday prayers. Around the fountain there some inscriptions in Arabic. This building has been built at the beginning of 19th century during Suleiman Pascià power.

A simple white construction among others in yellow ochre colour is near the port. It is the Jame'a Al-Nahar mosque, here come on Friday the fishermen of Jaffa.

The French King, Saint Louis the 9th, commanded, during the 7th of the Christian crusades, the construction of a fortress; then at the end of the 19th century the Franciscans built a church and a monastery over the ruins of the fortress. The two constructions were designed by brother Serafino from Palermo and brother Bernardino from Rome. The architectural style is Latin-baroque. We can visit the monastery and "Kenisset Al-Qal'a" that is the Arabic name of the Catholic church dedicated to Saint Peter(An historical note: the monastery was used as headquarter by Napoleon during the Egypt war in 1799).

We are on the seashore and we must take a walk along it.
"Sakhret Andromeda" is the name of one of the cliffs that are in the Jaffa bay. A mythological tale says that Perseus, after the killing of Medusa, freed Andromeda that was tied up on a rock by her father to by sacrificed in order to appease the Nereides. Perseus killed the monster that falling in the sea created this cliff. Andromeda and Perseus took house in Jaffa and lived delighted and happily.

And now it is the time to go to Shimon Habursaki street. Don't expect something special. There are many houses. All simple and poor. But one has an history, it is the house of Joseph the Tanner. A tale says that in house Saint Peter, the Apostle, got the power to covert the heathen (but at his time were the ones that were not Hebrews) to Christianity.
Nearby this house there is the "Manaret Jaffa", the lighthouse erected during the British protectorate. And beside the lighthouse there is "Jame'a Al-Butros", the mosque of Saint Peter (don't forget that the Koran mentions many time Jesus as a Prophet and the Apostles as Saints). The building is dated 18th century.

We can't affirm to have visited Jaffa without take a walk in Jaffa Al-Atiqa, known also as Jaffa Al-Qadime. Both Arabic names indicate the oldest part of Jaffa. Small alleys, called with the names of the zodiac signs. All around small shops selling jewels (the best are in filigreed gold or silver), antiquity and old handcrafts.
Go around, look, feel the old times. Spices, coffee, tea, water of roses will fill your nose. Romanic, Arabic, Ottoman architectures will fill your sight. And at the end sit down in one of the small coffee shops facing the Mediterranean sea and sip a Bedouin coffee (double boiled and the filtered strong coffee added with cardamom and cinnamon).

The port of Jaffa, called in arabic Mina'a Jaffa, is the oldest port in the world still on duty. After the decision of Israel government to built the Ashdod port, Mina'a Jaffa became a port for fishermen and for rich Israeli sailors.

The French hospital Saint Louis the 9th is a building with neo-Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Built at the beginning of 20th century by the French Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Revelation.

The main square of Jaffa is Kedumim Square. Here archaeological excavations discovered many findings dated 3rd century BC (Hellenic age), 2nd AD (Romanic age), 4th century AD (Byzantine age). What can't be seen in the square has been relocated in the Mathaf Jaffa (or Museum of Jaffa) located in Al-Saraya Al-Atiqa building.

Now it is time to discover the old walls of Jaffa, so we go to Pasteur street where we can see what remains of the walls that surrendered the city many centuries ago. Napoleon open a gate when he was here but just after his departure the inhabitants of Jaffa closed the gate and restored the walls according to the original design.
The walls became of less importance during the 19th century and consequently they have been, step by step, removed. Another small part of the walls are just around the French hospital we have visited before.

Our last stop is at Ramses the 2nd Garden where we can see some findings of Egyptian, Philistines, Phoenician ages.

And, of course, we can't leave Jaffa without some "special" shopping. We go back near the Clock Tower where the bazaar "Souk Sala'hi" is located. Here we can buy any type of goods, new or second hand. And if you wish you can sell your own goods. The bazaar is located between Beth Eshel and Olei Zion streets.

Finally this is a destination a strongly suggest to visit if Tel Aviv or Jerusalem is your destination. You can learn about story and religion. You can feel the old times.

As per Iraq, also for Jaffa I want to express a wish.
Peace, steady peace for Israeli and Palestinian in a way that the tourists can return to visit this beautiful city (but of course all Israel and Gaza strip) where history and art had a life but also they both still live.