Already known by the Egyptians in the fourth century and conquered by Thutmose III, it is mentioned in the Old Testament as the place from which the prophet Elisha challenged the followers of Baal.
Like all the sites that make up the Line of Saint Michael, it was of particular importance to the Templars, who fortified the structure to house the Carmelite Order.
The building currently open to visitors was rebuilt in the first half of the 19th century by Italian monks.