Ramla (רַמְלָה)
Ramla, or Ramle, used to be the Arab capital of Palestine, before the Crusaders arrived around 1099 and started dividing the country into smaller entities. The city was founded in 716, but most of its glorious past has been destroyed and nowadays only a few worn Islamic monuments remain.
Despite of this, Ramla is a nice place. It is one of Israel's 'mixed' cities, where significant numbers of both Jews and Arabs live.
Ramla has an interesting old Arab quarter with winding streets that contrasts sharply with the wide, tree-lined avenues in the new parts of town. On Wednesdays there is a bustling market in the city.
- The White Tower, or Tower of Ramla, is the minaret of al-Masjid al-Abyad (White Mosque). The mosque was built in the 8th century, but little of it remains. The tower dates from the 13th century and still stands 6 storeys tall.
- The Pool of Arches is also referred to as St. Helen's Pool and Bīr al-Anezīya. It is an underground water cistern that was built in 789 to provide Ramla with a steady supply of water. At the beginning of the 10th century the cistern fell into disuse.
- In the 12th century, the Crusaders built a cathedral in Ramla. It was converted into a mosque when the Mamluks conquered the city some 150 years later. The Mamluks added a minaret and a mihrab (a niche that shows the direction of Mecca). It has been known as El-Omari Mosque, or the Great Mosque of Ramla.
- The Franciscan church has a square clock-tower. It is also home to the Hospice of St. Nicodemus and St. Joseph of Arimathea and t is located on Herzl Street, Ramla's main boulevard.
- The British Commonwealth War Cemetery is the largest war cemetary in Israel. Soldiers killed during WWI, WWII and the British Mandate period, are buried there.
The Ramla Museum has exhibitions that document the history of Ramla.
Ramla lies south off the main route between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv-Yafo and is bypassed by most travellers. There are several hotels and restaurants in town and there are frequent bus connections with both Tel Aviv-Yafo and Jerusalem. Ramla is 40 km northwest of Jerusalem.
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