Atlit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Atlit (Hebrew: עתלית) is a small sea side village in Israel near Haifa. The village was founded in 1903 under the auspices of Baron Rothschild. Its population today is about 4,500. Former Knesset member Pesach Gruper, responsible for the construction of a small train station in this village, lives in Atlit.
Atlit was declared a local council in 1950, but in 2004 was incorporated in the Hof HaCarmel Regional Council.
Atlit detainee camp was used by the British authorities to detain illegal immigrants to Palestine and ironically is now the base of one of Israel's elite commando units.
[edit] Geography
Neighborhoods in Atlit are Neve Moshe, Yamit, Giv'at HaPrahim, Giv'at HaBrekhot, Giv'at Sharon, Shoshanat HaYam, HaGoren, Yafe Nof, Argaman, Savyonei Atlit and Allon.
Atlit is in immediate vicinity of the villages Neve Yam and Ein Carmel .
[edit] Prehistoric settlement
Atlit was as a fishing village since the early Bronze Age and up to the Hellenistic period.
[edit] Crusader citadel
The ruins of Chateau Pelerin - one of the biggest crusader citadels in the Holy Land, and the last remaining crusader outpost to withstand the assaults of Baibars- are still visible on the coast of Atlit.
