The Walls History

In 1750, Daher El-Omar, the ruler of Acre, used the remnants of the Crusader walls as the foundation for
his own walls. They were reinforced between 1775 and 1799 by Jazzar Pasha and survived Napoleon´s siege.

The wall's height was about 10 to 13 meters, while 15 to 20 meters in thickness.

This wall is the first structure of note that a visitor sees when coming to Acre.

It is a modern counter artillery fortification that includes a thick defensive wall, a

dry moat, cannon outposts and three Burges (large defensive towers). The sea wall, which

remained mostly complete, is the original wall of El-Omar that was reinforced by al-Jazzar.

Our building was originally constructed as army barracks and a Customs check-point

during the Ottoman period, in the second half of the 18th century.

After World War I, during the British mandate, it became a regional school for boys.
In the second half of the last century it served as a court house, until 1995.

The renovation started in 2000 and Akkotel boutique hotel is open to the public since September

2007.

Acre was recently recognized as a world heritage site. The city had a stormy history
during the three centuries preceding the Christian Era, starting in 1479 B.C.
when Tuthmosis III won the battle of Meggido. Later, it was under Greek,
Roman and Byzantine rule until it was captured (A.D. 638) by the Arabs, who
developed its natural harbor. In 1104 it was captured in the First Crusade and
was held by Crusaders until 1187, when it was taken by Saladin. During the Third
Crusade it was regained in 1191 by Guy of Lusignan, Richard I of England,
and Philip II of France, who gave it to the Knights Hospitalers (the Knights of
St. John, hence its French name).