Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park

Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park in central Israel encompasses the ruins of Maresha, an important town of Judah from the 8th century BC, and Beit Guvrin (Roman Eleutheropolis) [1] [2]. The site contains some 3,500 underground chambers carved into soft chalk, including 800 bell-shaped caves, used as cisterns, oil presses, columbaria (dovecotes), baths, stables, and burial areas across more than 2,000 years of habitation [1] [2]. Archaeological finds include a Roman-Byzantine amphitheatre, a Byzantine church, mosaics, and burial caves [1]. The cave complex was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 [1] [2].