The Yarkon Springs (Mekorot HaYarkon) are one of the largest spring systems in Israel, emerging from the ground at the foot of Tel Afek (Antipatris) in the southern Sharon Plain. The springs were historically a major water source, though the Dan River in the north produces a greater volume of water. The site combines one of the most important water sources in the country with an archaeological tel that has been inhabited for over 5,000 years.
Tel Afek (Antipatris)
The tel beside the springs is identified with the biblical Aphek, a Philistine city where two of the most significant battles in Israelite history took place. In the first battle, the Israelites brought the Ark of the Covenant to the battlefield, and the Philistines captured it: “The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died” (1 Samuel 4:11). The news killed the elderly priest Eli, and the Ark began its journey through the Philistine cities, bringing plagues wherever it went. In the second battle at Aphek, the Philistines assembled before their final campaign against King Saul, the campaign that ended with Saul’s death on Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 29:1).
Antipatris
Herod the Great built a city here and named it Antipatris after his father Antipater. The New Testament records that the Roman soldiers who were transferring the Apostle Paul from Jerusalem to Caesarea stopped here overnight: “The soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris” (Acts 23:31). The journey from Jerusalem to Antipatris follows the descent from the mountains to the coastal plain, and the springs would have been a natural resting point.
Ottoman Fort
A large Ottoman fortress (Binar Bashi) crowns the tel, built in the 16th century to guard the road and the water supply. The fortress, with its thick walls and courtyard, is well preserved and provides panoramic views of the springs, the surrounding parkland, and the coastal plain.
Park
The springs are surrounded by a national park with lawns, shade trees, walking paths, and pools fed by the spring water. The park is popular with families, especially on weekends, and the combination of cool water, ancient ruins, and green parkland makes it one of the most pleasant outdoor sites in central Israel.
Visit with Hoshen Tours
The Yarkon Springs connect the Philistine wars, the Ark narrative, and the journey of Paul in a single location. Hoshen Tours visits the tel, the springs, and the Ottoman fortress, telling the stories of battles, plagues, and prisoners.