castle
Sidon Sea Castle
A 13th-century Crusader fortress built on a small island connected to the Lebanese mainland by a narrow causeway, guarding the ancient port of Sidon.
50 km · about 55 min drive
AsiaIsraelNorthern District
Majdal Shams
Northern District, Israel · Asia
About Majdal Shams
Majdal Shams sits on the route: 10 minutes from Mas‘adah, 52km from Sea of Galilee.
Majdal Shams is in Northern District, Israel, with about 11,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Mas‘adah, about 5 km away.
Majdal Shams (Arabic: مجدل شمس; Hebrew: מג'דל שמס) is a predominantly Druze town in the Golan Heights region, Quneitra Governorate, Syria. Under Israeli occupation since 1967, it is located in the southern foothills of Mount Hermon. In 2024 it had a population of 11,264.
Majdal Shams played a significant role in theRead more
Great Syrian Revolt of 1925–1927 that was led by Druze leader Sultan al-Atrash, who is commemorated by several monuments in the city. Beginning in the 1930s, Majdal Shams became involved in political developments in nearby Mandatory Palestine, and supported the Arab Palestinians during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
Since the Six-Day War in 1967, Majdal Shams along with the broader Golan Heights have been under Israeli occupation, and were effectively annexed in 1981. The move was recognized by the United States in 2019, after having been lobbied by Israeli officials.
Majdal Shams is the largest of the four remaining Syrian Druze communities in the Israeli-occupied territories of Golan Heights, the other three being Ein Qiniyye, Mas'ade, and Buq'ata. While the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon are administratively joined, they differ geologically and geographically, with their boundary being marked by the Sa'ar Stream; Majdal Shams and Ein Qiniyye sit on limestone on the Hermon side, while Buq'ata and Mas'ade are on the Golan side, which is characterized by black volcanic rock (i.e., basalt).
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Majdal Shams?
Within an hour or so of Majdal Shams: Sidon Sea Castle (50 km), Beiteddine Palace (51 km), Sea of Galilee (52 km), Tyre (Sour) (53 km).
Where is Majdal Shams?
Majdal Shams is in Northern District, Israel, about 5 km from Mas‘adah.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 11,180
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Israel
- Region
- Northern District
- Timezone
- Asia/Jerusalem
- Coordinates
- 33.2703, 35.7716
Tags
Worth the detour from Majdal Shams
5 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Beiteddine Palace
Emir Bashir II's early-19th-century palace in the Chouf, built over thirty years with carved cedar ceilings, inlaid marble and a museum of Byzantine mosaics in the stables. Still the president's official summer residence.
51 km · about 60 min drive
natural wonder
Sea of Galilee
The largest freshwater lake in Israel, central to Christian scripture and surrounded by important biblical sites including Capernaum and the Mount of Beatitudes.
52 km · about 60 min drive
ancient ruins
Tyre (Sour)
A UNESCO-listed ancient Phoenician port city with one of the best-preserved Roman hippodromes in the world and extensive archaeological remains.
53 km · about 60 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Mount Arbel
A cliff dropping 380m to the Sea of Galilee, with fortified caves cut into its face by Jewish rebels and a lookout taking in the whole lake to the Golan. Israel's only base-jumping mountain.
56 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Majdal Shams
- 56 kmMount ArbelA cliff dropping 380m to the Sea of Galilee, with fortified caves cut into its face by Jewish rebels and a lookout taking in the whole lake to the Golan. Israel's only base-jumping mountain.
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