About Tel Dan Nature Reserve

Tel Dan Nature Reserve is a wildlife sanctuary fed by year-round springs and home to Tel Dan, an important archaeological site. The reserve offers hikes, trails, vantage viewpoints over the Golan Heights and shady greenery, all year round. The Dan Stream, being the largest of the Jordan River’s three sources, surges through the park and lacy trees provide shade. The nature reserve is also rich in wildlife and water- and shade-loving species.

Biblical City of Dan

The city of Dan was originally named Laish before the tribe of Dan captured it, renaming it Dan, after their ancestor (Joshua 19:47). Dan was a major reference point in the unified kingdom, “from Dan to Beersheba”. After the kingdom was divided, King Jeroboam made Dan a centre of worship for the Northern Kingdom so that the people of Israel would not return to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. The city began to decline after nearby city of Banias began to prosper.

Archaeological Finds

The Canaanite-era “Abraham’s Gate” with a triple-arched entrance is the oldest surviving archway in the world. The Israelite city gate’s chambers may have served as guard stations, storage rooms or a place for merchants to sell goods. Uncovered is a broken 9^th century BC victory stele with “House of David” inscription in Aramaic, proving that King David from the Bible was a genuine historical figure.