Coastal Plain Area
Israel's western strip stretches from Rosh Hanikra in the north to the Sinai Peninsula in the south. The plain is 47 kilometers wide in the north expanding, as it moves southwards, to about 50 kilometers.
The soil in the costal plain is fertile. There are several water sources and the region includes the country's major transportation arteries. Except for the sandy beach and dune area of Tel Aviv, the coastal plain has been a fertile farming ground for hundreds of year. It is the center for the country's citrus farms and it contains some of the largest and successful agricultural settlements in the country.
The coastal plain is densely populated with most of Israel's major cities, and two thirds of Israel's population lives here. Major coastal cities include Tel Aviv, the Ports of Haifa and Ashdod as well as Herzliya, Netanya, Rehovot, Rishon Le'Zion, Kfar Saba, and Ashkelon.
Only two significant rivers cross the coastal plain; the Yarkon River which is 4.2 km long and flows from the Judean Hills near Jerusalem into the Mediterranean and the Kishon River which is 43 km long and flows into the gulf of Acre near Haifa.
The climate is half humid. Being close to the sea makes it comfortable and one of the characteristics of this region is the summer sea breezes.
National Parks along the Coastal Plain
Yarkon National Park - The 3250 acre Park lies between Tel Afek (Antipartis) and the Morasha Interchange. The park has two main attractions;
Tel Afek and its Ottoman-period fortress Binar Bashi was built in 1571 on top of an ancient hill. The fortress offers an excellent view of the Rosh Ha'ayin springs, which flows at the foot of Tel Afek. On the eastern part of Tel Afek are the remains of the pumping station from the British Mandate period, once used to transport water from here to Jerusalem. Afek is mentioned in the Bible as the place where the Philistines prepared for a battle against the Israelites - 11th century BCE. South of the Ottoman fortress, archaeologists uncovered the main street and the commercial quarter of the city of Antipatris, built by King Herod.
A path from Tel Afek to the sources of the Yarkon River runs along the upper stretch of the river. Tours can be arranged to visit the Mekorot Pumping Station.
Sources of the Yarkon River - although most of the water from the springs is siphoned off for the National Water Carrier, the river is never allowed to run dry and a variety of flora and fauna flourish here.
Visitors can visit the archaeology remains in the Park; the arched Mir Flour Mill is the easternmost flour mill on the Yarkon River. Slightly to the west are the remains of Kasr Ranch, with a wall, a well, and a collection pool. Salim Kasr of Jaffa sold Kasr Ranch to Baron Rothschild. The land was then used by the founders of the nearby city of Petah Tikva.
Yarkon River Park has a kilometer-long kayak route. For the less athletically inclined, the Yarkon Ecology Education Research Center offers guided tours.
Alexander River National Park, situated between Netanya and Hadera, is one of the few riverbeds on the coastal plan which has yearlong water. It has a sizeable population of soft-shelled turtles and reptiles. On the northern bank (in the national park) is an eucalyptus grove and an open area where visitors can picnic and relax. An ancient ruin, Hurvat Samra, sits atop a small hill near the tree grove. Possibly this was a customs house where rafts men paid taxes on the goods and agricultural products they transported on the Alexander River to the port near the estuary. In the spring, the hill is covered with anemones, buttercups and tulips.
The Bait Yannai coast is close to where the Alexander River empties into the Mediterranean Sea. North of the beach are remnants of a quay constructed in 1938 on the pretext that it was needed to unload fertilizer but in reality so that the Jewish immigrant boats could moor on the shore.
Sharon National Park - 1500 acres containing all the elements typical of the costal plain. The park's green and open area separate the built up cities of Hadera and Netanya. Without the park, the coastal plan would probably become just a string of urban towns. A magnificent three kilometer sandstone cliff runs along most of the coastline. As the rocks on the shore and the sandstone are eroded, they create lagoons and natural bays, one of which was dubbed Sinai Bay. Typical seaside flora and fauna can be found here. At one time, most of the Sharon was covered by sand dunes but this changed due to large-scale constructions. About 125 acres of sand dunes survived to the north and south of the Alexander River. The draining of the Hadera area effectively wiped out the giant swamp that once covered the landscape. The few winter pools in the Park are the only remains of the Hadera Swamp and when the largest of these pools fills in during the winter it covers 50 acres
Ahziv National Park situated five kilometers north of Nahariya offers a rocky coast, lagoons, deep natural seawater pools, shallow man-made sea water pools and the remnants of an ancient settlement. Slightly offshore are a number of small islands, the Ahziv Coast Islands, which form a nature reserve in themselves. The islands are all that remain of a sandstone ridge and now only the peaks are above sea level. The Park also contains the ruins from the ancient city of Ahziv, mentioned in the Bible as one of the cities bellowing to the Tribe of Asher. During early times, the purple dye produced from snails was an important income for the residents of this area. In the Crusader Period, this area was called L'Ambert Castle. It ell to the Royal Sultan Baybars in 1271. Most of the ruins are from the abandoned Arab village of A-Aib and a few from the Crusader Period.
Ashkelon National Park sits within an ancient rampart. A trail at the foot of the Crusader Wall of the City offers a lovely view of the Park, the sand dunes south of Ashkelon, and present day Ashkelon. In the center of the park are the remains from the Biblical Tel Ashkelon, although the more impressive ruins at the site are from the Roman Period. Most striking are the pillars from the basilica and public building. Near the basilica is a statue of Atlas holding the world on his shoulder and one of Nike, the winged goddess of victory. Archaeologist have discovered the city gate from the Middle Bronze Period (4000 years ago) which has significance since it is one of the oldest arches discovered anywhere in the world. Ashkelon beach is situated right outside the park.
Main Towns in the Coastal Plain
Rehovot was founded in 1890 by Polish Jews who wanted a town independent of Baron Edmond de Rothschild patronage. In 1906 they were joined by immigrants from the Yemen. The early settlers worked hard to make Rehovot a prosperous town and planted vineyards, almond orchards and citrus groves. In 1934, Chaim Weizmann, Israel's first President, built the Sieff Institute in Rehovot which later became the Weizmann Institute of Science. He and his wife are buried in the Institutes ground. Rehovot is also home to the Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Visitors to the Weizmann Institute of Science can enjoy a multimedia presentation, a visit to the Weizmann House, which was designed by the Jewish architecture Eric Mendelson, Clore Garden of Science and the Solar Complex.
Rishon Le Zion was founded in 1882. Along with Petach Tikva, it is considered the first Zionist settlement in Palestine and its founders were members of the First Aliya. The new settlers faced a lot of difficulties, sandy soil, lack of water and agricultural experience. Baron Edmond de Rothschild gained control of the settlement and in 1886 construction began on the Winery. The Carmel Rishon Le Zion Wine Cellars is the largest winery in Israel. The Rothschild Family owned it until 1957. The winery building is the oldest industrial building in Israel still in use. See the deep underground cellars, the 100 year old brandy cellar with its wooden roof and the mural in the old metal workshop depicting the history of Rishon Le Zion. Walk through the gardens opposite the winery and view the Water Tower, Baron Rothschild's first investment to help the settlers and the Museum showing the history of the town from its early days. In the center of the town is an ancient wine press. Rishon Le Zion's amusement park, Superland, is situated near the beach.
See information pages on:
Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Netanya, Haifa, Acre, Nahariya, Ashkelon
Coastal Plain Area
Israel's western strip stretches from Rosh Hanikra in the north to the Sinai Peninsula in the south.
Key Words: Tel Aviv, Haifa Port, Ashdod Port, Herzliya, Netanya, Rehovot, Rishon Le'Zion, Kfar Saba, and Ashkelon, Carmel Winery, Weizmann Institute of Science, Yarkon National Park, Alexander National Park, Sharon National Park, Ahziv National Park, Ashkelon National Park