The port of Acre
Acre’s first port was apparently located at the lower part
of the Na’aman River. The port was first mentioned in the travels of
Kambizes to conquer Egypt in the years 525 – 527 BC, during the course
of which hundreds of ships carrying soldiers, horses and supplies were
concentrated in Acre. The fact that Acre served as a base for a navy of
such an order of magnitude indicates that the southern breakwater had
already been built.
The port during the ancient Moslem Period
The port of Acre was mentioned again with the establishment
of the Umayyad Dynasty in the days of Muawaya. Sultan Muawaya decided to
fortify the settlements on the coastline as part of a maritime policy,
which culminated in the conquest of Cyprus, which was made part of the
Moslem Empire. As part of this policy, a large shipyard was built at the
port of Acre and lasted only a short time. The Egyptian ruler Achmed
Ibn-Tolon (868 – 884) annexed the Land of Israel and a major part of
Syria and, in the framework of organizing his principality, and decided
to renovate the port of Acre and its fortifications, similar to Tyre.
The port during the Crusader Period
During the period of Crusader rule the port of Acre
increased in importance. The Crusaders’ maritime link with the West was
based on this port, which was vital to its very existence. Although most
of the maritime activity was limited to the months of May through
October, considerable space was required for storing goods and
equipment, for accommodating the pilgrims and for repairing and mooring
the ships.
The port during the Ottoman Period
After the Ottoman conquest the port was neglected and
served only as a marina for fishing boats. Paintings of passengers from
the 18th century show the southern breakwater and the
Crusader wall, the remains of which rise to a considerable height.
The fortified building on the Fly Tower was very well
preserved and a mosque was built on it. At the end of the 17th
century, Dahar al-Omer tried to renovate and fortify the city. At the
end of his life he had apparently succeeded in bring the port to a state
that permitted sailboats to cast anchor there and to load cargo, in the
framework of his policy of developing maritime commerce.
During the first third of the 19th century the
port was preserved in good condition and often served the Egyptian fleet
of Muhammad Ali and Ibrahim Pasha. The port was destroyed during the
shelling of Acre by the British and Austrian navies in 1840, when the
southern breakwater wall and the Fly Tower were damaged.
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