The site labeled “Jordan Star National Park” is Israel's Kokhav HaYarden National Park, widely known in English as Belvoir Fortress. Set high above the Jordan Valley, the castle commands long views toward the Gilead mountains. Its Hebrew name means “Star of the Jordan,” while the French-derived Belvoir means “beautiful view.” Both names capture the strategic logic of a fortress whose landscape is as important as its masonry.
The Knights Hospitaller acquired the estate in the 12th century and developed one of the most formidable concentric castles of the Crusader period. A strong outer enclosure surrounds an inner fortress, with towers, vaulted spaces, water storage and a deep defensive moat. The plan allowed defenders to retreat into another protected ring if the exterior was breached. Saladin's forces besieged the castle after the 1187 Battle of Hattin; the garrison held out until 1189.
