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| Caesarea | ||
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| Hebrew | קיסריה | |
| Government | ||
| Also spelled | Qesarya (officially) | |
| District | Haifa | |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: | |
| Population | 4,400 (2006) | |
| Jurisdiction | 35,000 dunams (35 km2/14 sq mi) | |
Caesarea (Hebrew: קיסריה, Qesarya Arabic: قيسارية, pronounced Kaysaria) is a town in Israel on the outskirts of Caesarea Maritima, the ancient port city. It is located mid-way between Tel Aviv (45km) and Haifa, on the Israeli Mediterranean coast near the city of Hadera. Modern Caesarea, with a population of 4,400 people, is the only Israeli locality managed by a private organization, the Caesarea Development Corporation, and also one the most populous localities not recognized as a local council. It is under the jurisdiction of the Hof HaCarmel Regional Council.
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History
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Caesarea is believed to have been built on the ruins of Stratonospyrgos (Straton's Tower), founded by Straton I of Sidon. It was probably an agricultural storehouse in its earliest configuration.[1] In 90 BC, Alexander Jannaeus captured Straton's Tower as part of his policy of developing the shipbuilding industry and enlarging the Hasmonean kingdom. Straton's Tower remained a Jewish city for two generations, until the Roman conquest of 63 BCE when the Romans declared it an autonomous city.
The city underwent vast changes under Herod, who renamed it Caesarea in honor of the emperor. In 22 BCE he began construction of a deep sea harbor and built storerooms, markets, wide roads, baths, temples, and imposing public buildings. Every five years the city hosted major sports competitions, gladiator games, and theatrical productions.
Caesarea also flourished during the Byzantine period. At the time, much of the land south of the city was used for agriculture. The area continued to be farmed during the early Arabian period, apparently until the Crusader conquest in the eleventh century. Over time, the farms were buried under the sands shifting along the shores of the Mediterranean.
In 1251, Louis IV fortified the city. The French king ordered the construction of high walls (parts of which are still standing) and a deep moat. However strong the walls were, they could not keep out the sultan Baybars, who ordered his troops to scale the walls in several places simultaneously, enabling them to penetrate the city.
Caesarea lay in ruins until the nineteenth century.
The modern settlement of Qisarya (Arabic: قيسارية) was established in 1884 by Muslims from Bosnia who built a small fishing village on the ruins of the Crusader fortress on the coast.[2] Many of the village's inhabitants left before 1948, when a railway was built bypassing the port, ruining their livelihood. The fishing village had a population of 1,148 at the last census taken in 1948. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War part of the population fled for fear of attacks, before it was conquered by Jewish forces in February, after which the remaining inhabitants were expelled and the village houses were demolished.[3]
Administration
With the establishment of Israel, the Rothschild family transferred their vast land holdings to the new state, purchasing the land which makes up Caesarea. A different arrangement was made for the 35,000 dunams of land in and around modern Ceasarea: After turning over the land to the state, it was leased back (for a period of 200 years) to a new charitable foundation. In his will, Edmond James de Rothschild stipulated that this foundation would further education, arts and culture, and welfare in Israel. The Caesarea Edmond Benjamin de Rothschild Foundation was formed and run based on the funds generated by the sale of Caesarea land which the Foundation is responsible for maintaining. The Foundation is owned half by the Rothschild Family, and half by the State of Israel.
The Foundation established the Caesarea Edmond Benjamin de Rothschild Development Corporation Ltd. (CDC) in 1952 to act as its operations arm. The company transfers all profits from the development of Caesarea to the Foundation, which in turns contributes to organizations that advance higher education and culture across Israel.
Today, the Chairman of the Caesarea Foundation and the CDC is Baron Benjamin de Rothschild, the great grandson the Baron Edmond de Rothschild. The deputy chairman is Avraham Biger. In recent years, the Foundation has donated over 100 million shekels to organizations such as the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, the Bezalel Academy, Yad Vashem, the Open University, as well as to theaters, museums, and musical projects across the country. Sizeable grants have also been made to the neighboring towns of Or Akiva and Jisr az-Zarqa.
Caesarea today
The Caesarea Edmond Benjamin de Rothschild Development Corporation (Hebrew: החברה לפיתוח קיסריה אדמונד בנימין דה רוטשילד) is the operational arm of the Caesarea Edmond Benjamin de Rothschild Foundation, whose goal is to establish a unique community that combines quality of life and safeguarding the environment with advanced industry and tourism.
Caesarea remains today the only locality in Israel managed by a private organization rather than a municipal government. As well as carrying out municipal services, the Caesarea Development Corporation markets plots for real-estate development, manages the nearby industrial park, and runs the Caesarea's golf course and country club, Israel's only 18 hole golf course. Ralli Museum in Caesarea houses a large collection of South American art[4] and several Salvador Dalí originals.
In recent years, the Port of Caesarea has also become home to the annual Caesarea Jazz Festival which offers three evenings of top class jazz performances by leading international artists.
Modern Caesarea is one of Israel's most upscale residential communities. The Baron de Rothschild still maintains a home in Caesarea, as do many business tycoons from Israel and abroad.
Notable residents
- Paul the Apostle, imprisoned in the city for two years[5]
- Procopius, Byzantine scholar (c. 500-c. 565)
- Ezer Weizman, seventh President of Israel,
- Keren Ann, pop singer
- Arcadi Gaydamak Russian-Israeli billionaire
- Eitan Wertheimer, industrialist
- Benjamin Netanyahu, politician and former prime minister
References
External links
- Caesarea Development Corporation
- Pete Dye Golf Project Caesarea
- Caesarea, photo
- Caesarea, Power Station, photo
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