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Discover Beer-Sheva by Hire Car

Beer-Sheva, on the edge of the Negev Desert, is the fourth largest metropolis in Israel and lies deep in the south of the country.

Because of its relative remoteness from the center of the state, it is considered an extremely important regional attraction.

Translated, the name means “well of oaths” and dates back to a reference in the 1st Book of Moses, according to which Abraham is said to have wrested the free use of a well from the high priest here.

History of Beer-Sheva

As early as 1100 BC, Beer-Sheva was already a fortified city, where later Maccabees, Romans and Byzantines stationed their troops. From the 19th century, the city was also considered a strategic outpost on the way to the Suez Canal.

The present old town of Beer-Sheva was built around 1900, partly with German involvement. It remains the center of the city and is considered a unique example of Ottoman city planning.

Sights in Beer-Sheva

Of particular global significance are the excavations at Tell Beersheba, which have been ongoing since 1969 and are now part of the World Heritage Site. Traces of human settlements dating back to the 4th millennium BC have been found there.

The supra-regional highlight and tourist attraction here is the weekly Bedouin market and the aforementioned Abraham Fountain.

At the same time, Beer-Sheva is also a testing ground for modern architecture, as exemplified by the Beersheba Sinfonietta concert hall, whose shape is reminiscent of a UFO. Adaptation to desert conditions produced kilometres of covered pedestrian passages against the heat and dust.

The vastness of Beer-Sheva, bordered by the foothills of the Hebron Mountains, makes the use of a hire car absolutely recommended.