Safed (Tzfat) is located in the Galilee, the northern region of the Land of Israel. Steeped in mysticism and spirituality, sanctity seems to seep out of every alley and structure of this hilly city. Read on for 17 facts about the historical and geographical jewel known as the “City of Sages and Mystics.”

1. It Is One of the Four Holy Cities

Historically, Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberia, and Safed are known as the “four holy cities.” Each is considered unique and holy for different reasons. Safed’s claim to fame is its intimate association with Kabbalah and the inner secrets of the Torah, as underscored by the many Jewish mystics who lived, studied, taught, and were buried there.

Read: The Four Holy Cities of Israel

2. It Is Mentioned in Scripture—By Another Name

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that the mention of this mystical city in Scripture is somewhat of a mystery. A city by the name of Safed is mentioned in the Book of Judges,1 but that city was located in the south of the land and is not identical to Safed in the north.2 Some identify modern Safed with Kartan, a Levite city within the portion of the Tribe of Naftali in the north.3

Read: Safed

3. It Was a City of Refuge

According to an ancient tradition, Safed was one of the cities of refuge set aside for individuals who committed murder unintentionally. This protection, the kabbalists add, was due to the 13 Divine attributes of mercy openly manifest there.4

Read: Cities of Refuge Demystified

4. The 16th Century Marked Its Golden Age

A Jewish community has persisted in Safed at least since the times of the Second Temple.5 However, the apex of its glory was reached in the 16th century. In the wake of the 1492 Spanish Expulsion, an influx of Jews, including many scholars and saintly men, settled in the quiet town. In addition to boosting the local economy, which quickly became a hub of textile production, they brought along their Torah knowledge and piety, transforming the town into a flourishing center of Jewish life.

Watch: The Golden Age of Safed

5. Its Rabbi Tried Reviving Semichah

The position of town rabbi was given to the eminent scholar Rabbi Yaakov Berav (d. 5306/1546), a native of Spain forced to flee due to the expulsion. Rabbi Berav is famous for his attempt to reinstitute the semichah, a unique form of rabbinic ordination that would enable the Sanhedrin, the Jewish supreme court, to convene once more. The endeavor had a short lifespan, however, due to the opposition of his contemporaries, most notably Rabbi Levi ibn Chaviv of Jerusalem.

Read: What Is a Rabbi?

6. The Code of Jewish Law Was Written There

One of the recipients of the newly-instituted semichah was Rabbi Yosef Caro, who lived there from c. 5295 (1535) until his passing in 5335 (1575), serving as head of the beit din (Jewish court of law). A Torah scholar of the highest caliber, Rabbi Caro is famous for compiling the Shulchan Aruch, still the most authoritative compendium of Jewish law. As Rabbi Caro himself attests, he completed this work in Safed6 (or its environs7).

In addition to his Talmudic proficiency, Rabbi Caro was a kabbalist of note and merited to be instructed by a maggid—a private angelic teacher who revealed to him many kabbalistic secrets, which he proceeded to record in his kabbalistic work Maggid Meisharim.

Read: Rabbi Yosef Caro

7. The Arizal Was Safed’s Greatest Kabbalist

Perhaps the figure most intrinsically associated with Safed is Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, famously known as the Arizal. Viewed as the greatest kabbalist in an era replete with mystics, the Arizal arrived in Safed in 5330 (1570), remaining there until his untimely passing a mere two years later. During his short stay in the city, a prominent group of scholars gathered around him, imbibing his kabbalistic knowledge and practices and rising to great spiritual heights. Notable among them was Rabbi Chaim Vital, who recorded his master’s teachings for posterity.

Read: 14 Facts You Should Know About the Arizal

8. Many Other Kabbalists Lived There

Imagine taking a walk through Safed’s winding alleyways sometime in the 1500s. See that saintly individual making his way toward the synagogue? That’s Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, pre-Arizal-Safed’s leading kabbalist and author of the kabbalistic classic Pardes Rimonim (“Orchard of Pomegranates”). Entering the synagogue, you can hear the Lechah Dodi hymn sung by its composer, the saintly Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz. And you can be sure you won’t fall asleep during the sermon delivered by Rabbi Moshe Alshich, one of the greatest darshanim (homilists) in Jewish history.

Read: 14 Facts About Kabbalah

Even someone occupying a simple post might be hiding his greatness. You see the synagogue beadle putting away the prayer books? That’s Rabbi Elazar Azkari, an unassuming kabbalist whose famous composition, Yedid Nefesh, is sung reverently in homes and synagogues worldwide.

Read: Envoy From Safed

9. It Is the Holy Land’s Highest City

Nestled in the northern hills, Safed is the city with the highest elevation in the Land of Israel. Its unique location offers inhabitants and visitors alike breathtaking views of Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee. Safed’s beauty has made it a hotspot for painters, sculptors, and artists of all kinds who find the city the perfect spot to engage in their creative work.

Here’s a piece of Safed trivia: Due to changes in atmospheric pressure, water boils in Safed at 207 °F, seven degrees lower than at the banks of the Dead Sea.

10. Much of the City Is Painted in Blue

Many of the graves in Safed’s ancient cemetery, as well as many buildings in town, are painted with “Safed blue,” a color that has become synonymous with the city. Reasons abound as to why this hue was chosen, ranging from practicality and preference to the esoteric, such as to remind its inhabitants of Heaven and G‑d’s Throne of Glory.8

Watch: Safed

11. It Has the Purest Atmosphere In the World

The kabbalists have phenomenal things to say about the sacred city. Here’s a quote from the noted kabbalist Rabbi Avraham Azulai: “Safed is a place where it is inherently easier to comprehend the secret depths of the Torah. There is no atmosphere throughout the Land of Israel [and by extension—throughout the world] as pure as that of Safed.”9 While the physical air in Safed is indeed pure and pristine, Rabbi Azulai surely had spiritual purity in mind when writing these words.

12. It Housed the First Printing Press in the Middle East

The first printing press in the Holy Land, and all of Western Asia, was established in Safed by Eliezer Ashkenazi, a native of faraway Prague, in 5337 (1577). The press functioned for 10 years and published a handful of Jewish books. The first known work to come out of the press was Lekach Tov, a commentary on the Book of Esther authored by a local scholar, Rabbi Yom Tov Tzahalon, as a Purim gift for his father.

13. Chassidim Flocked There in the 18th Century

In 1777, a group of chassidim made their way from Tsarist Russia to the Holy Land. A portion of them settled in Safed. While the community has had its ups and downs, the synagogues of the old City of Safed, with names like Tzemach Tzedek, Avrutch, and Tsanz, tell the story of its Chassidic past and present.

14. There Are Two Ari Synagogues There

There are two ancient synagogues in Safed named for the Arizal. The Ashkenazi synagogue that bears his name is said to be built on the spot where he and his students would go out to greet the Shabbat Queen on Friday afternoons. And the Sephardic one, near the city’s famous cemetery, is said to be the older of the two, where the Arizal prayed regularly.

15. It Is Flourishing Once More

In the centuries following its golden age, Safed experienced a period of decline caused by plagues and earthquakes—although a Jewish presence always endured in the city. In recent decades, however, Safed has undergone a dramatic revival. Tens of thousands of Jews now call it home, and it boasts numerous synagogues, schools, and other Jewish institutions, not to mention its numerous art galleries.

16. The Rebbe Revived the City’s Chabad Presence

In the 1970s, the Rebbe sent his emissaries to revitalize Safed under the leadership of Rabbi Aryeh Leib Kaplan. At first, they lived in poor conditions in the Old City. In time, things grew, and today there are entire neighborhoods, schools, and even commercial enterprises in Safed under the banner of Chabad.

Read: The Rabbi Who Pioneered the Jewish Revival of Safed

17. It Has Many Chabad Houses

If you visit Safed today, local Chabad rabbis will be more than happy to show you around the city and introduce you to Chassidic thought—premium Jewish mysticism.