The Pool of Arches
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Pool of Arches (Hebrew: Brechat Hakshatot), also known as The Pool of El Anzia or Saint Helena's Pool, is an ancient, enclosed underground water reservoir located in the city of Ramla in Central Israel.[1][2] Completed in 789 AD during the Abbasid Caliphate under the reign of Caliph Harun al-Rashid, it is the only major architectural structure from the early Islamic Abbasid era to have survived intact in Israel.[3] The reservoir, which appears to have been supplied with water from a small spring directly beneath it, remains remarkably preserved despite having withstood devastating earthquakes over the past twelve centuries.[2] Today, the site serves as a popular historical monument and tourist attraction, famous for allowing visitors to row boats through its historic vaulted chambers.[4]