Herzliya

Herzliya, city, west central Israel, on the Plain of Sharon and the Mediterranean Sea, at the north of the Tel Aviv–Yafo metropolitan area. Founded in 1924 with the financial backing of American Zionists, it was named for Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism. The original settlement, about 2.5 miles (4 km) from the sea, was based on agriculture, chiefly citrus; with the growth of Tel Aviv, most of the area has been converted into suburban residences. Herzliya has also expanded westward to the sea; the coastal section, known as Herzliya Pituach (Herzliya Development), is the site of many luxury resort hotels as well as fine new private homes. The city is also the home of United Studios Israel, Israel’s main film company.

Just north of the city are the ruins of the ancient settlement of Apollonia, named for the Greek god Apollo by Hellenistic traders in the 3rd century ce, on the site of the ancient Canaanite settlement of Reshef, named for the Canaanite god Resheph. It was brought under Jewish rule by the Hasmonean king John Hyrcanus I (135/134–104 bce) and was destroyed and rebuilt several times in subsequent centuries. Renamed Arsūf by the Arabs after their conquest of Palestine in the 7th century ce, it was the site of a famous crusader victory in 1191. Pop. (2022 est.) 105,273.