Andromeda’s Rock

Off the coast of Jaffa, you can see a group of unassuming rocks. But when you know the story behind them, these rocks become a fascinating attraction. The best place to see Andromeda’s Rocks is from Kedumim Square, the Jaffa Port, or the nearby park in Old Jaffa.

The Greek Myth of Andromeda

Cepheus, the king of Jaffa had a daughter, Andromeda who was famed for her beauty. The king’s wife, Queen Cassiopeia boasted that her daughter was more beautiful than the mermaids. This angered the mermaids who appealed to Poseidon to punish the vain humans. Poseidon sent a deluge of water, and a giant sea creature to destroy Palestine and Jaffa.

King Cepheus was distraught. He consulted with advisors and was pressured by his people to sacrifice his daughter to the sea monster, in the hope of appeasing Poseidon. And so the King had his daughter, Andromeda tied to a rock that jutted out of the sea just off the shore of Jaffa. By chance, Perseus, the son of Zeus, was passing through and saw beautiful Andromeda tied to the rocks.

He fell in love at first sight and King Cepheus and his wife offered Perseus Andromeda’s hand in marriage if he could rescue her from the sea creature. Perseus flew down on his winged horse Pegasus and chopped off the monster’s head which fell into the water and became the famous rocks we see today. The rocks became an everlasting symbol of love between Perseus and Andromeda.