Hamat Gader

Hamat Gader (Hebrew: חַמַּת גָּדֵר; Imperial Aramaic: חמתא דגדר, hammata degader; Ancient Greek: Ἑμμαθά, Emmatha or ῎Αμαθα, Amatha; Arabic: الحمة السورية al-Hamma) is a hot springs site in the Yarmuk River valley, located in an area under Israeli control, near the Golan Heights and the border with Jordan. It contains a spa, modern and ancient baths, a crocodilians farm and a zoo. Hamat Gader, known for its health benefits and recreation since classical antiquity, was mentioned in several historical texts. Built by the Romans in the 2nd century, the site featured a bath complex and a theater. An ancient synagogue, complete with mosaics and inscriptions, also stood within its walls. Despite earthquakes damaging the site in the 7th and 8th centuries, it continued to attract visitors until abandonment in the 9th century, eventually becoming buried beneath silt. It is set on several mineral springs, the hottest of which reaches temperatures of up to 52 °C.