The city of Acre is written about primarily as the main port of the Christian Crusaders in the Holy Land from 1104, when it was taken by King Baldwin of Jerusalem in the First Crusade, to 1229 when it fell to Egyptian Mameluks during a bloody siege. Today Acre is still a thriving port of 56,000 individuals, and although it was named as UNESCO's first World Heritage Site in 2001, it remains an out-of-the-way landmark compared to more popular sites like Jerusalem and Masada.
The Israel Antiquities Authority approved archeological work in the mid-1990's, and in the subsequent 15 years or so an entire subterranean Crusader city has materialized. Hidden beneath the ruins of Acre when it was burnt to the ground by invading Egyptian Muslims, the structures are nearly perfectly preserved. Head Israeli Archeologist at the Acre site, Eliezer Stern, says "It's like Pompeii of Roman times — it's a complete city...one of the most exciting sites in the world of archaeology." In fact, the finds in the city span nearly 2,000 years and position Acre as a crossroads in some of the most critical moments in western civilization; including the rise of the Mediterranean in the Hellenistic Age, the European occupation of the Holy Lands during the Crusades, and Napoleans’ Imperial campaigns at the end of the 18th century.
Among the uncovered structures are shops and storefronts that used to sell clay figurines and ampoules of holy water, which were popular souvenirs for medieval pilgrims. Brothels, residential apartments, and well-preserved cobblestone streets all show a thriving Crusader stronghold. A fortress belonging to the Order of the Hospitallers was uncovered complete with a pillared dining hall, barracks, and dungeon. The Knights Templar, an Order that was constantly at odds with the Hospitallers during their century long reign in the Holy Land, also inhabited a fortress in Acre. Archeologists uncovered this fortress to find that a subterranean passage lead from the dungeon to the sea wall of the port; no doubt used by Europeans to escape to ships during the land-ward invasion of the Egyptian Mamelukes.
Acre's sea wall, which is being renovated and restored, has also been the site of significant archeological finds. Workers uncovered a Hellenistic pier, the pylons still intact beneath the mud and sand of the cities bay. Since the city was held by Alexander the Great during his campaign through Asia, it's possible that the pier was built by his men to ship supplies for continuing his war effort. Also found embedded within the wall and on the harbor's sea floor were sunken ships and fortifications from Napolean's armies, who lead a failed siege of the city during his asian campaign in 1799.
The finds beneath modern-day Acre are some of the most significant of the world of Archeology, and the people of Acre understand that their history is perhaps their most valuable asset. Much of the underground city will be opened up to tourism in the next month, and several other sites have already been available to visitors. Shelley-Anne Peleg, who serves as a liason between the archeologists and local residents, cautions that further work and tourism must be done "in a way that doesn't take over the city and overpower the people who live here."