In the 12th century, the Crusaders arrived and renamed the city La Sephorie. They built a fortress overlooking the city.
In 1187, when Saladin conquered the city he returned the name Saffuriya.
In 1516 CE, the Ottomans conquered Eretz Yisrael. Over the next 400 years, Tzippori was a small village of a few hundred Muslim and Jewish families, which thrived on its pomegranate and olive produce.
Today Tzippori is a national park famous for its beautiful ancient mosaic floors and 1st century tunnels and cisterns that one can walk though. The Jewish part town has been excavated; it includes a mikvah and a cobblestone street.
To reach the tzion of Reb Yehudah Hanasi from the Movil’s intersection, turn right onto Road 79 going in the direction of Nazareth. After 4 km turn left into Tzippori, travel though the moshav and after about 3.4 km you will travel on a dirt road till Har Hoshah. There you turn down a path and about 150 meters down you reach the last resting place of Rabbeinu HaKadosh.
