# Caco

- **Country:** Israel
- **Coordinates:** 32.359527, 34.995323
- **Location Text:** In the Crusader period, a castle called Caco or Cacho stood in Qaqun, of which an 8.5m tower survives.

Qaqun, historically known by variations such as Caco, Chaco, or Kakoun, was a Palestinian Arab village situated approximately six kilometers northwest of Tulkarm. Strategically positioned at the sole entrance to Mount Nablus from the coastal Sharon plain, the site holds significant historical depth with evidence of organized settlement dating back to the Neo-Assyrian Empire. The location is perhaps most renowned for a medieval fortress constructed during the Crusader period, which continued to serve under Mamluk rule. Architectural remnants of this stronghold still exist today, most notably a surviving tower standing 8.5 meters tall, which serves as a tangible link to the region's turbulent military past.

The village maintained continuous Arab habitation from at least the Mamluk era through the twentieth century, growing to a population of nearly 2,000 residents by 1945. Its historical trajectory shifted dramatically in June 1948 when it was depopulated following a military assault by Yishuv forces during the Arab-Israeli conflict. Following this event, the former village lands were incorporated into the State of Israel and currently fall under the jurisdiction of the Hefer Valley Regional Council. Several modern Israeli localities, including HaMa'apil and Gan Yoshiya, now occupy the territory that once comprised the village and its surrounding agricultural lands.

Today, the site is characterized by these modern settlements alongside the enduring ruins of the ancient castle. While the residential village no longer exists in its original form, the surviving Crusader-Mamluk tower remains a key historical landmark, illustrating the strategic importance of the location across centuries of changing empires and conflicts. The area stands as a layered landscape where ancient military architecture coexists with contemporary communities, marking the transition from a historic Arab village to its current status within modern Israel.

![Photo of Caco](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/KakunChurch.JPG)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qaqun (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)