Here are some facts about Mount Carmel.
- The name Mount Carmel has caused confusion because it doesn’t refer to one peak, but rather to an entire mountain range.
- The mountain range is located in the northern part of Israel and it extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the settlement of Jenin.
- The Mount Carmel range is 39 km in length and about 8 km wide.
- The highest point in Mount Carmel is the steep ridge on its northeastern side. This is more than 500 metres tall.
- The mountain range is made up of flint and limestone.
- It contains several caves and it is covered with oak trees, pines trees and olive trees.
- Several towns are located on The Mt Carmel range, including: Yokneam, Zikhron and Nesher.
- The remains of several Neanderthals and early humans have been recovered from the caves in Mount Carmel. One of the most important finds was named Tabun I, a female Neanderthal.
- Mount Carmel was an important strategic location in World War I. The Battle of Megiddo (WW1) took place near to the Carmel Ridge.
- Elijah, a famous prophet, is associated with Mount Carmel in Christian, Islamic and Jewish religious texts. He is thought to have lived in a grotto (cave) in the mountain.
- The Carmelites were a Catholic religious order founded in the 12th century. They built a monastery in Mount Carmel and became one of the world’s most powerful religious groups.
- In 2010 a forest fire started on the slopes of Mount Carmel. It destroyed a large proportion of the Mediterranean forest and took the lives of more than 40 people.
What next? Learn about other famous mountains by visiting our mountains resources page.
