The Templars’ Tunnel runs for beneath Old Acre 150 meters. Construction in the 12th century, it was hidden for 500 years, until rediscovered in 1994.
The tunnels were a passageway that connected the Templars’ fortress to the harbor, providing a secret escape route to the sea in case of attack.
The lower part of the tunnel is carved in the natural stone and its upper part is made of hewn stones covered with a semi-barreled dome.
The Templars were a military-monastic order who first settled in Jerusalem, on the Temple Mount, hence their name, “the Templars.”
Following the conquest of Jerusalem by Salah Al-Din in 1187, the Templars moved to Akko.
The Templar Fortress was described as the strongest one in the city whose entrance was protected by two powerful towers with 28-foot thick walls.
Two smaller towers were built on either side of the towers and each tower was topped by a gilded lion.
Today, a lighthouse stands in place of the fortress and the tunnel exits near the Khan al-Umdan, which was built centuries later as a merchant inn.
Visit
You can enter the tunnel at either end and tickets to all the Crusader sites are sold at both access points.
Inside, buttons along the walls let you start short infographics in either Hebrew or English.
Before visiting, see the Templars’ Tunnel visiting hours and ticket prices – including combination tickets for other sites.