Timna Park is an ancient copper mining site and geological wonderland in the southern Negev, 25 kilometers north of Eilat. The park encompasses 60 square kilometers of desert landscape sculpted by erosion into pillars, arches, and cliffs of red and white sandstone, with copper mines that were worked 6,000 years ago, making them among the oldest in the world.
Solomon’s Pillars
The most famous formation in Timna is Solomon’s Pillars, a series of massive sandstone columns carved by erosion over millions of years. Despite the name, the pillars have no direct connection to King Solomon. The name reflects an older theory that the mines were operated by Solomon, a theory that has been revised by modern archaeology. The mines were active long before Solomon’s time and were operated primarily by the Egyptians and local populations.
Copper Mines
Copper mining at Timna dates to the 5th millennium BCE. The Egyptians mined here extensively during the New Kingdom period (14th-12th centuries BCE), and a small temple to the goddess Hathor was built at the base of the cliffs. The temple was later modified and used as a Midianite tent shrine, and the discovery of a copper serpent (nehushtan) at the site connects it to the biblical story of the bronze serpent that Moses raised in the wilderness: “Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived” (Numbers 21:9).
Mushroom
The Mushroom (HaPatriya) is a naturally formed rock that looks exactly like its name suggests: a sandstone cap balanced on a narrow stone stalk. The formation, created by differential erosion of the softer lower stone and the harder upper layer, is one of the most photographed natural features in the Negev.
The Lake
An artificial lake in the park, surrounded by date palms and sandstone cliffs, offers paddleboating, a beach, and a setting that combines desert drama with oasis relaxation. The park also features night events, including stargazing and nighttime hikes, taking advantage of the absence of light pollution.
Tabernacle Replica
Timna Park contains a full-scale replica of the biblical Tabernacle (Mishkan), the portable sanctuary that the Israelites carried through the desert during the 40 years of wandering. The replica, built according to the specifications described in the Book of Exodus, includes the outer courtyard with the bronze altar and the basin (laver), and the tent itself with its two chambers: the Holy Place (containing the golden menorah, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense) and the Holy of Holies, separated by a woven curtain, housing a replica of the Ark of the Covenant with the two golden cherubim on its lid. God commanded Moses: “Have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you” (Exodus 25:8-9). The replica brings these instructions to life in the desert landscape where the original Tabernacle was used, and for many visitors, especially Christian and Jewish pilgrims, seeing the Tabernacle at full scale in the Negev desert is one of the most moving experiences in the park.
Visit with Hoshen Tours
Timna combines geology, archaeology, and desert beauty. Hoshen Tours includes it in every southern itinerary, alongside Eilat and the Ramon Crater.