Beit She'arim National Park
| Beit She'arim National Park | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Facade of the "Cave of the Coffins"
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| Location | Haifa District, Israel |
| Nearest city | Haifa |
| Coordinates | 32°42′8″N 35°7′37″E / 32.70222°N 35.12694°ECoordinates: 32°42′8″N 35°7′37″E / 32.70222°N 35.12694°E |
| Governing body | Israel Nature and Parks Authority |
| Official name | Necropolis of Beit She'arim: A Landmark of Jewish Renewal |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iii |
| Designated | 2015 (39th session) |
| Reference no. | 1471 |
| State Party | Israel |
| Region | Europe and North America |
Beit She'arim (Hebrew: בֵּית שְׁעָרִים, "House of the Gates") is the currently used name for the ancient Jewish town of Bet She'arāyim (Hebrew: בּית שערַיִם, "House of Two Gates") or Kfar She'arāyim (Hebrew: כְּפר שערַיִם, "Village of Two Gates"). The Arabic name of the hill it stands on is Sheikh Ibreik or Sheikh Abreik. Another Arabic name is bayt al-ġurabāʾ (بيت الغرباء).
The partially excavated archaeological site consists mainly of an extensive necropolis of rock-cut tombs and some remains of the town itself. The site is managed by the National Parks Authority as the Beit She'arim National Park. It borders the town of Kiryat Tiv'on on the northeast and is located five kilometres west of Moshav Beit She'arim. It is situated 20 km east of Haifa in the southern foothills of the Lower Galilee.
In 2015 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rationale of the committee was as follows: The town's vast necropolis, carved out of soft limestone, contains more than 30 burial cave systems. Although only a portion of the necropolis has been excavated, it has been likened to a book inscribed in stone. Its catacombs, mausoleums, and sarcophagi are adorned with elaborate symbols and figures as well as an impressive quantity of incised and painted inscriptions in Hebrew, Aramaic, Palmyrene, and Greek, documenting two centuries of historical and cultural achievement. The wealth of artistic adornments contained in this, the most ancient extensive Jewish cemetery in the world, is unparalleled anywhere.
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