Ein Hemed

Lore & Background

The Crusaders named the site Aqua Bella, a Latin name that may derive from the pre-existing Arabic name Iqbalā, rather than the other way around. In the 19th century, it was also called Deir el-Benat (or Dayr al-Banat), meaning 'convent of the maidens', and Khurbet Ikbala, interpreted as 'the ruin of prosperity', 'the southern ruin', or 'the ruin opposite'. The Kingdom of Jerusalem built fortresses along the road to Jerusalem to control traffic and protect pilgrims, and farms used the spring water for irrigation.

The impressive ruins of a 30-by-40-metre Crusader courtyard building, with its southern wall surviving to a height of 12 metres, are located on the north side of the riverbed. Archaeological investigations indicate it was built circa 1140–1160, a period that began during the reign of Fulk of Jerusalem (who died in 1143) and continued under his successors. The same period saw construction of fortresses on Tzova and Abu Ghosh. South of the building are a nature reserve and a Muslim cemetery. The castle is shown as Khirbat Iqbalā on the 1880 PEF Survey of Palestine map and as El Burj ('The Tower') on the 1940s Survey of Palestine map.

In 1925, an American Jew named Isaac Segal Feller purchased a 600-dunam plot on a hill above the springs, called 'Nachalat Yitzchak' or 'Kiryat YaSaF'. During the 1936–1939 Arab revolt and 1948 Arab–Israeli War, it served as a base for Hagana training and military operations. Since 1994, there have been disputes over development of the site for residential or tourism purposes. The nature reserve and park were established in 1968. The cemetery includes the grave of Sheikh Abdullah, in whose honour the oak and terebinth trees were never cut down.

Reader's Guide

Ein Hemed serves as a significant historical and natural site in Israel, preserving a well-preserved Crusader fortress that controlled the medieval road to Jerusalem. Its layered history—from Roman road to Crusader stronghold, to Arabic-named ruins, to modern national park—illustrates the region's complex cultural and political transitions. The site's spring-fed pools and lush vegetation, protected by local tradition around Sheikh Abdullah's grave, offer a rare oasis near Jerusalem. The 1925 purchase by Isaac Segal Feller and its later use by the Hagana highlight its role in 20th-century Jewish settlement and military history. Ongoing disputes over development since 1994 reflect contemporary tensions between preservation and growth. As a national park and nature reserve established in 1968, Ein Hemed provides both recreational space and a tangible link to Crusader, Ottoman, and Mandate-era pasts, making it a valuable reference point for understanding the layered heritage of the Jerusalem corridor.

Did You Know?

• The Crusader building at Ein Hemed was built circa 1140–1160, a period that began under King Fulk of Jerusalem (who died in 1143) and continued after his reign.
• The site's Arabic name Khirbat Iqbalā is not a corruption of the Latin Aqua Bella; rather, the Crusader name likely derived from the pre-existing Arabic name.
• Four layer springs issue from the riverbed and nearby caves, creating a flow that continues for about 400 metres.
• The oak and terebinth trees in the nature reserve were never cut down in honour of Sheikh Abdullah, whose grave is in the cemetery.