Nebi Samuel National Park

Nebi Samuel is an archaeological and religious site on a hilltop over 800 m above sea level near Jerusalem, traditionally identified as the burial place of the biblical prophet Samuel. Excavations by Yitzhak Magen (1992-2003) revealed an urban settlement dating to the 8th-7th centuries BCE, believed to be the biblical Mizpah of Benjamin. The site preserves remains from multiple periods including First Temple burial caves, a Hasmonean-era residential quarter with buildings preserved to 4 m height, and a 12th-century Crusader fortress topped by a Mamluk-era mosque.