 Built on the slopes of Mount Carmel , the settlement has a history spanning more than 3 @,@ 000 years . The earliest known settlement in the vicinity was Tell Abu <unk> , a small port city established in the Late Bronze Age ( 14th century BCE ) . In the 3rd century CE , Haifa was known as a dye @-@ making center . Over the centuries , the city has changed hands : being conquered and ruled by the <unk> , Persians , <unk> , Romans , <unk> , Arabs , Crusaders , Ottomans , British , and the <unk> . Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 , the Haifa Municipality has governed the city . 
