Israel, Tel Aviv - Old City of Jaffa

By Timothy Tan - May 26, 2015

The Jaffa (a.k.a Yafo) of today was part of an old city adjourning Tel Aviv to the south-west. Although the city of Jaffa reportedly dates back more than 3000 years, the current Old City of Jaffa was originally built during the Ottoman Empire.

View of the Old City of Jaffa from Tel Aviv, along the beach bordering the Mediterranean Sea near the Opera Tower. Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

Housed within Jaffa's unique stone houses and narrow alleyways are many restaurants, shops and artists' galleries. Walking along these narrow alleyways evoked an almost nostalgic feel that seems to transport me back to medieval times!

Indeed, Jaffa's history went way back to eras even before medieval times! Historical records from as far back as 1470 BC described the city of Jaffa as being part of the conquests of the Egyptian Pharaoh, Thutmose III. Archeological excavations have also revealed artefacts dating back to the Bronze Age. Historical characters such as Saladin (first Sultan of Egypt and Syria and founder of the Ayyubid Dynasty), King Richard the Lionheart and the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte have attacked, taken or lost the city at one time or another.

Walking along the stony paths of the alleyways of Jaffa brought with it a surreal feeling. A feeling unlike any other feelings, knowing that I trod the same paths as many historically famous conquerers. And these same paths I walked and stood have witnessed numerous historical events which I read about in my history textbooks when I was still young and in school.

Stone houses of the Old City of Jaffa. Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

Walls of a typical stone house. Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

A typical narrow alleyway in the Old City. Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

Because Jaffa lies just south of Tel Aviv, it also boasts a short stretch of seafront promenade that looks out into the Mediterranean Sea.

The port of Jaffa has its fair share of historical stories and legends. In the Bible, this was the port where the prophet Jonah set sail for Tarshish.

This is also the port where it is surmised that the wood for Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem had arrived from Lebanon.

The port of the Old City. Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

The port, viewed from a distance on the roof of a nearby stone house. Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

The beach near the port. Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

An old canon. I am not sure of the historical significance of this ancient war artefact as I do not understand the Hebrew language describing it as shown in this photo. Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

Old City of Jaffa. Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

Palm trees lined the streets of the Old City, adding to that mythical feel of the place. Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

Bell Tower of St Peter's Church. Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

In Greek mythology, Jaffa is associated with the story of Andromeda and Perseus.

Legend has it that the sea off Jaffa was the place where Andromeda was chained to be offered as a sacrifice to placate the sea monster Cetus. The monster had been sent by Poseidon to punish Aethiopia after Andromeda's mother, Queen Cassiopeia had boasted that Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids. However, before Cetus could take Andromeda, Perseus arrived on the winged horse, Pegasus. Perseus had with him, the severed head of the slained Gorgon, Medusa which the hero used to turn Cetus into stone, thus saving the princess.

Sea near the port. The stony outcrop with the Israeli flag on top is supposedly the legendary rock from which Andromeda was chained to be offered to the sea monster, Cetus. Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

With such rich history and steep culture cramped into such a relatively small area, a visit to the Old City of Jaffa offers a truly enriching experience.

And of course, do remember to reward yourself with a great Mediterranean dinner to conclude your visit to the Old City.

View of Tel Aviv from the Old City, Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel (2002)

Author's Notes: Although this article was written based on my visit in 2002, much of Jaffa has remained the same. Some eateries and cafes have changed ownerships since then. But for the most part, the Old City remains relatively unchanged. The old world charm of Jaffa and the buildings that had stood for hundreds of years in the Old City still stand proud today, both steep in history and rich in culture. My most recent visits to Jaffa were in February 2017 and June 2017. During these recent visits, I still enjoyed Jaffa as much as I did during my first visit here in 2002. Updated photographs of Jaffa from my visits in 2017 were added to this article to show just how much Jaffa has changed but yet remained the same in the 15-year span between 2002 and 2017.