Kiryat Shmona (Hebrew: קריית שמונה‏‎) is a city in the Northern District of Israel, located near the border with Lebanon.
The city is named after the eight (“eight” in Hebrew – “shmona”, שמונה) fallen defenders of the legendary settlement of Tel Hai, located next to Kiryat Shmona.

History
Kiryat Shmona was founded in 1950 as a tent camp for new immigrants from North Africa and was named Kiryat Yosef (city of Joseph, קריית יוסף) in honor of the national hero Joseph Trumpeldor, who died in 1920 defending Tel Hai. A few years later, houses were built on the site of the camp, and in 1974 Kiryat Shmona was proclaimed a city. Due to its proximity to the Lebanese border, the city was repeatedly bombarded with rockets by the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which led to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon (1982).

Population
According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, the population for 2016 is 23,076.

Sights
Among the attractions of the city can be called a museum dedicated to the memory of the defenders of Tel Hai. The exhibits of the museum tell about the life of the Jewish settlers of that time. Among the exhibits you can see agricultural tools used by the first settlers of the Hula Valley.
Near the museum there is a cemetery where the defenders of Tel Hai are buried. It has a monument by Abraham Melnikov. The monument is a lion mounted on a stone pedestal, on which the last words of Joseph Trumpeldor are carved – “Happiness to die for your homeland.” There are 12 schools in the city with 4,710 students (2004). 43.03% of graduates receive a matriculation certificate.

Kiryat Shmona Local History Museum and Golden Park
On HaYarden Street, at the exit from the city center in the direction of Kibbutz Shamir, there is a local history museum of the city of Kiryat Shmona. It is located in a small mosque built at the beginning of the 20th century for the inhabitants of the Arab village of Khalsa. The museum building is an architectural monument.
The museum has several permanent exhibitions. On the stands there are photographs of an Arab village, views of the old and new cities, household items of Jewish settlers. In the center of the museum there is a small hall for watching films about the history and development of the city. Kiryat Shmona.
Next to the museum, in the park, there are the houses of the first settlers. In such houses made of corrugated tin, with a total area of ​​​​no more than 10 square meters, large Jewish families lived in the 50s. Household items are also here – primitive furniture, an old sewing machine, an ice box, kerosene lamps, milk cans, an oven where you can bake cakes today.
The City Museum is not only a place for excursions and family holidays, but also a training center. Schoolchildren study the history and nature of their native land, get acquainted with the traditions using the exhibits of the museum. School excursions and practical classes are held in the museum, high school students write essays, answer questionnaires, conduct excursions for preschoolers and younger students.
The museum is located in a picturesque park where the Golden Stream flows, flowing into the El Dahal River. Hiking trails for the whole family start in the park. Green lawns, bridges over streams, children’s playgrounds, jungle-like thickets, centuries-old trees, flowering lawns, an open amphitheater for festive city events and holidays – all this makes the park and museum a favorite place for citizens to relax.