Montfort Fortress is a national park with a medieval archeological site and the remains of a Crusader fortress from the days of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The ancient and breathtaking fortress is built in front of a perfect view on a narrow and steep spur on the south bank of the Nahal Kziv gorge in the Upper Galilee – near Kibbutz Ayalon, about 13 km from Nahariya and about 6 kilometers north of Maalot Tarshiha.
A visit to Montfort Fortress National Park is recommended for families and children. During the day, we will visit the ancient and magical fortress, enjoy spectacular forest views of the mountains of the Western Galilee and the wonderful Kziv stream that flows beneath it, and may even finish with a small picnic at one of the nearby campsites.
The route that reaches the fort itself is at a relatively easy level of difficulty and is recommended for all ages. On the other hand, you should arrive with comfortable walking shoes as the terrain is somewhat mountainous (and it is not accessible for baby strollers).
Montfort Fortress
Montfort Fortress rises on the southern bank of Nahal Kziv, a bit north of Mitzpe Hila. It got its name from the phrase “Montfort” in French, which means “strong mountain”.
The fortress itself is built at the top of a steep spur that descends to Nahal Kziv from the south. The spur rises 180 meters above the stream channel and is protected in three directions by deep channels, leaving easy access to the fort only from the east, where its builders cut it off from the spur with a deep moat carved into the rock.
The fortress itself was built during the Crusades to Israel – a period when Crusaders from all over Europe came to Israel intending to conquer it from its Muslim rulers, which began at the beginning of the first millennium and ended with the famous Horns of Hattin battle where Muslim forces under the command of Saladin defeated the Crusaders and marked the beginning of the decline of the Crusader Empire in Israel.
After the defeat of the Crusaders at the Battle of Karnei Hittin (1187), the fortress fell to the hands of Saladin, but the Crusaders eventually recaptured it. In 1220 members of the Teutonic German Order purchased it, established their headquarters there, and rebuilt the strong fortress whose impressive remains are seen today.
Montfort itself was established not necessarily as a strategic position in the Crusader’s war against the Muslim enemies, but mainly as a refuge for the Knights of the Teutonic Order from the attacks of members of the other Christian orders that ruled Acre at the time. Montfort Fortress is isolated and far from major roads, making it lack any real strategic importance, and it was not really designed to withstand any battle or prolonged siege. Around the fort were built many farms and flour mills that were part of the agricultural ecosystem in the area at that time.
In 1266 the Mamluk Sultan Baibars arrived at the gates of Monfort. Baibars laid siege to the fort, but the Teutonic Knights defended their estate and forced the Mamluk invaders to retreat as they came.
Five years later, after conquering most of the Crusader strongholds in the Galilee (including Nimrod’s Fortress, on which we wrote in another post), Baibars returned to the Montfort Fortress, this time accompanied by several engineering battalions from his armies. He imposed a siege that lasted seven days on the fort, during which the sultan’s soldiers breached the outer southern wall of the fort and allowed the Mamluk forces to enter it. At this point, the Teutonic Knights signed a surrender agreement and were allowed to return to Acre with their treasures, including an extensive archive (which serves to this day as an important source for knowledge of the history of the Land of Israel during the Crusader period).
After being evacuated, the Mamluk sultan ordered the destruction of the fortress, to prevent the Crusaders from settling it again. Much of the fort was completely destroyed, and only the well-fortified fort tower subdued the Mamluk destroyers and remained largely intact.
Getting to Montfort Fortress
To get to the place, take road 89 (Nahariya – Maalot) and follow the signs to the village of Ma’alya. Pass the village with the main road and exit on the other side, continue a bit and reach the gate Mitzpe Hila, from where there are signs for the starting point of the route.
You can park near the starting point, from where we will continue with a trail marked with a red trail marker which will lead us right up to the fort. The walk on the trail is about a kilometer long, it is easy and pleasant and done on a wide and neat path under the shade of a cylindrical grove.
In Waze: Montfort Fortress
By the way, right next to where we will park the car and start the hike, the “Hila-Manot” scenery road begins, on which you can travel by car, enjoy an amazing view, and pass nice corners for a picnic (and even overnight stay, for those who are interested).
Nahal Kziv Reserve
Montfort Fortress is a national park located in the heart of the Nahal Kziv Nature Reserve. The reserve covers about 9,000 dunams and it showcases the Mediterranean forestry in all of its splendor and vitality. Nahal Kziv (Arabic: Wadi al-Keren) is a gushing river, the largest in the Western Galilee, both in length and in the area of its drainage basin.
In the Nahal Kziv Reserve, about seven different plants types were identified, the main ones being the Oak and the Israeli turpentine tree. The reserve also has a rich animal world. In the shallow ponds, fish swim, and their waters serve as breeding sites for endangered amphibians. The reserve is also the home of many species of lizards, reptiles, porcupines, rabbits, wild boars, and various rodents.
Nahal Kziv Nature Reserve is also the place where the Persian Fallow Deer return process to nature was carried out. This animal, which was once common in West Asia and was almost extinct, was released into the reserve in the 1990s and has since adapted well and its descendants are spreading in the Galilee. The deer feed on weed and grove trees, thus contributing to ecological diversity and preventing wildfires.
Another recommended trail in the area: Ein Hardalit – A Magical Water Route for Families
Montfort Fortress Structure
Unlike other fortresses built by the Christian orders in Israel, it is clear that the Teutonic Order lacked the financial resources needed to build the Montfort Fortress due to the fact that stonework in most parts of the fort is particularly low quality, and that the Order did not straighten the summit on which the fort stand, and was forced to make do with a narrow base, whose maximum width does not exceed 30 meters.
The fort itself was built as a long and narrow structure, built of stepped wings which were built along the natural spur on which it is located. To the south of the fort, above the artificial moat which is designed to block the way of engineering tools aimed to collapse the walls, stands the fort tower. It is a kind of “fortress within a fortress” that is usually used for the residence of the ruler, and during a battle becomes the last internal fortress where the defenders can fortify in case the outer fortress walls are breached.
The remains of the fort were once surrounded by a stone wall, which together with the moat dug in the south of the fort served as the first line of defense against possible attackers. Remains of the same wall are found on the outer perimeter of the fort, and especially on its northern slopes.
- Remains of a moat
- The Fortress Tower
- The administrative area
- Church
- Refectory – The Knights’ Hall
- Basements
- The northern tower
- Remains of the outer wall
Goren Park
The Montfort can also be reached from the north, in the direction of Nahal Kziv and Goren Park. In the park, which covers about two thousand dunams, a natural forest of common oak is planted. The Jewish National Fund had built several campsites with picnic tables, water taps, toilet buildings, and several hiking trails leading out of it to Nahal Kziv, Ein Tamir, and Monfort Fortress.
The most impressive view of Monfort is on the “Mitzpe Monfort” cliff, which can be reached by any vehicle from Goren Park. The continuation of the trail that descends to Nahal Kaziv and ascends to Monfort is intended for experienced hikers only.