The Zohar Fortress refers to two ancient structures by the Zohar River. The first is located west of Highway 90 near where the river spills into the Dead Sea. The site was first identified by the archaeologist Yohanan Aharoni and his son in 1957. The structure dates back to the Iron Age. The second structure is located on a cliff above the river west of the first site and dates back to the Roman era. The structure is an abandoned Roman stronghold, whose ancient remains were built from chiseled cliff rock. The fort is the remnant of an ancient network of Roman strongholds designed to guard the empire’s border areas from desert marauders. The forts were all built on high vantage points so that they would be visible to one another. The fortress also included a dam by the river designed to trap floodwaters. During the winter, a beautiful pool forms and you can take a dip in the cool water, marvel at the high rock pillars, and take in the beauty of the ancient fort surrounded by acacia trees.
The Tamar Regional Council erected a high iron fence in 2011 to protect hikers and prevent them from getting too close to the site. The observation point overlooks the Judean Desert, Dead Sea, Mount Yizrah, the Zohar River valley, and the estuary of Chimer River.
Entry to the lookout point is free.
