The famous Tel Aviv panorama with the skyline and the beaches, offers itself from a hill over Jaffa. The viewpoint is located on the Mifrats Shlomo Promenade, which begins south of the clock tower and leads past the Mahmudiyya Mosque to the hill. At the lookout stand old Turkish cannons protecting the harbor of Jaffa under the Ottomans. Recently, there is also an orange-colored selfie frame for Instagram tourists. Jaffa was formerly known for its oranges, Jaffa oranges were once world famous. The name was used by German Templars as a brand name, which produced in Sarona (now a district in Tel-Aviv) oranges for export. For more photos see picture gallery Tel Aviv. 

Jaffa View Point

The center of Ottoman Jaffa forms the "Clock Tower" in the middle of the main street Rehov Yefet. The clock tower was built in 1903 to commemorate the thirty-year reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. The three-story tower was designed by architect Joseph Beys Moyal. The clock tower can not be visited but whoever approaches, discovers blacksmith work with donkeys and camels. Coming from Tel Aviv, the clock tower marks the entrance to Jaffa.

Jaffa Clock Tower

The most interesting thing about Jaffa is the market that stretches east of the clock tower. In the partly somewhat run-down market halls are cafes and restaurants. The most famous is Dr. Shakshuka, here you get the Israeli national dish Shakshuka in all variations fresh from the oven. The Pinkhas Ben Yair street is the center of the market of Jaffa (photo). All sorts of things are sold along the street and street musicians make for an exuberant mood. At the top, it changes its name to Rabi Khanina Street, where is the famous Jaffa flea market. The Shuk HaPishpeshim flea market takes place every day from 9am except Saturday.

Pinkhas Ben Yair St.

The Mahmudiya Mosque is the most magnificent building of the Ottomans in Jaffa. The mosque was built from 1730 and expanded in the following centuries. The individual buildings of the Mahmudiya Mosque stand around three interesting inner courtyards. The actual prayer hall is spanned by two white domes covered with ornate tiles on their octagonal base. From the outside, the minaret dominates the silhouette of the mosque. At the Mifrats Shlomo promenade there is a beautiful marble fountain, which serves for the ritual purification before the prayer.

Mahmudiyya Mosque

Between the Ottoman Jaffa around the clock tower and the old town of Jaffa is a hill on which the Abrasha Park is located. At the top of Tel Yafo is a square where the "Gate of Faith" stands. The upper part depicts Jacob's dream, one pillar showing the sacrifice of Isaac and the other the conquest of Jericho. From Abrasha Park you have a wonderful view of Tel Aviv and the main square of Jaffa, the Kikar Kedumim. From Abrasha Park you can reach the Old Jaffa via the wish bridge. On the "Wish Bridge" one should put his hand on his star sign and look out to sea, then according to legend, wishes come true. After the wish bridge you stand on the Kikar Kedumim, which is dominated by the church St. Peter. It used to be the site of a Teutonic Knights' Castle, which was rebuilt into a church for Peter in 1654 because it was said to have brought Tabitha to life here. Tabitha (Tabea) was a disciple of Jesus who lived in Jaffa. When she died, Peter was called to help Tabitha with the words, "Get up!" aroused. The Petrus church was destroyed several times and rebuilt in 1894 by Spain. Its bell tower towers over all the other structures in Jaffa, and it should be visible from afar for the pilgrims who came to Jerusalem via the port of Jaffa.

Abrasha Park

As you walk from Ottoman Jaffa towards the Old City, the minaret of the Al Bahr Mosque appears in the sky. The small mosque stands directly on the Retzif HaAliya HaShniya waterfront. The name Al-Bahr means by the water. The mosque on the water was built around the middle of the 17th century. Behind the minaret you can see the spray of umbered Andromeda rocks. Following Greek mythology, Andromeda, the daughter of Cassiopeia, was chained to these rocks in the sea to be sacrificed to the sea monster Poseidon had sent to punish the arrogance of Cassiopeia, who claimed to be more beautiful than the Nereids (nymphs) from Poseidon. Andromeda was rescued by Perseus, who used the head of Medusa as a weapon. He had cut his head off Medusa in his sleep, and everyone looking at his head froze into stone. So Perseus could defeat the monster and liberate Andromeda. They both got married and if they did not die, they still live today.

Al-Bahr-mosque

The old town of Jaffa is characterized by Arab houses, which are supported by high natural stone walls. At street level, there are only a few windows, the high-rise buildings open only on the upper floors. The old town of Jaffa consists of a few narrow streets with many stairs. Archaeological finds occupy a settlement since 7,500 BC. Jaffa is located on a 40 m high hill and therefore has a strategic importance. Jaffa was also the port city of Jerusalem, where a city gate was named after Jaffa. However, Jaffa is not located on a large bay or at the mouth of a river, so the city was not particularly large. Jaffa remained a small port city on the Mediterranean, so the old town has hardly changed. There are a few small churches and the Al-Bahr Mosque. There are some restaurants with stunning views of the sea.

 Old Town Jaffa

The port of Jaffa is considered the oldest port in the world. In fact, Jaffa is one of the oldest cities by the sea, whether it was the first seaport, can not prove. The oldest port in the world could also have been on the Red Sea in Egypt. There archeologists discovered a harbor dating back to around 2,600 BC. The city of Jaffa, however, is much older, but whether at 7,500 BC ships were used or whether the place was only on the water and the people collected shells, can not say. The port of Jaffa offers only yachts and small fishing boats enough water under the keel. At the port of Jaffa you will find many good restaurants and on the harbor promenade is always busy.

Nemal Yafo