Nimrod Fortress (מבצר נמרוד) is located on the slopes of Mount Hermon above the Banias Spring.

Today the Nimrod Fortress has been a project of a mass excavation and restoration work; visitors can walk through and discover its inner beauty and legacy.

With enormous walls, vast halls, hidden staircases and many other unique features, this impressive and massive cluster of rooms and passageways is a sight many find unforgettable. A private moat and working drawbridge incases the castle onto its own little world that is tucked high above Israel. The guided tour can show you every nook and cranny there is in the fortress, though it takes up to two hours each visitor is left with details and facts that a self-walking tour cannot give you.

In the evening, the walls are magnificently lit up, and the entire fortress is like a showpiece, which is very impressive. Either up close or far below you get a beautiful sight at night as you view the castle and the grounds around it. The castle sits 2,640 feet above sea level and is open year round to the public. The fortress received its name through the scripture in Genesis 10:8-9 as a “Might Worrier,” which this fortress was well known as, back in its glory days.

Children tend to like the ladder down to the vaulted cistern where water was kept, or the dark and eerie spiral staircases, and the hidden small corners where they can hide. Many of these places were built into the castle in case of an invasion, so the leaders could hide or get away quickly. There is a special hidden passage way that cannot be seen by first look but once found is the most interesting and investigated area in the castle by families.

A tall central tower was known to have held someone who was great in importance as it was a private and well-protected area. The Nimrod Fortress is unusual as it contains a fortress within a fortress, where a tower and holding areas were kept and used as a type of Jail or dungeon system.

The beautiful views, even in the ancient days of its birth, were highly appreciated and bragged about. “Archers,” (slat openings), were built within the windows and frames so the people within the walls could peek out to the scenery, or to check for oncoming enemy forces. Today the archers are used solely for visitors to see the expansive and vast views across the mountains and valleys.

Nimrod Fortress is exciting, interesting, and breath taking. The tour is detailed and helps the visitor understand the castles birth and history. Even though it does take a small amount of time to reach the fortress, it is still highly recommended because of the beauty, the views, and the history of Israel that is part of this area. Anyone visiting Israel should take the time to visit this remarkable and thought provoking place.

        Click here for the slide show