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All Israel Bet Shemesh Beit Jimal

Beit Jimal

Located within one of Israel's most picturesque monasteries is also the country's first meteorological research station.

Bet Shemesh, Israel

Added By
Eric Grundhauser
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Beit Jimal   Flavio~ on Flickr
Beit Jimal   Flavio~ on Flickr
Beit Jimal   Flavio~ on Flickr
Beit Jimal   Flavio~ on Flickr
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  Dror / Atlas Obscura User
Anemones in the woods around Beit Jimal monastery   Dror / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The verdant historic monastery known as Beit Jimal (alternately Beit Jimal or Beit Gemal) has been housing monks for over a century and has also played home to Israel's first meteorological station for almost as long.

Established around 1878, Beit Jimal began as a school for orphans and the underprivileged. However in 1892, the site was given over to the care of the Salesian monastic order. It was this group of religious devotees who established the meteorological station at the site in 1919. With its roots as an agricultural school, the study of and prediction of the weather must have seemed like a necessary and underserved area of interest to the early 20th century monks.

While modern weather stations have been erected all across Israel, the original in Beit Jimal continues to function and report the conditions. The spacious and serene monastic complex is today also used for concerts and events that take advantage of the picturesque surroundings and ornate historical buildings.      

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Science Monks Churches Sacred Spaces

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Added By

EricGrundhauser

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Dror

  • Dror

Published

June 19, 2013

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Sources
  • http://www.gemsinisrael.com/e_article000006238.htm
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beit_Jimal_Monastery
Beit Jimal
Beit Jimal
Bet Shemesh
Israel
31.724542, 34.976521
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