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Bethlehem Pocket Guide

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International travel agencies and tour operators selling the Holy Land as a tourism destination Travel journalist and media Palestine’s Diaspora community (especially in South America) Bethlehem Pocket Guide 2 1 Table of Contents Bethlehem 7 Museums, Theatres & 16 Artas Folklore Center 22 Center for Cultural Heritage Preservation 23 Manger Square 7 Cultural Centres Church of Nativity 8 Turathuna – Center for Palestinian Heritage 23 International Nativity Museum 16 Milk Grotto Church 9 The Cardial House 24 Crib of the Nativity Museum 16 Mosque of Omar 9 Ibda’a Cultural Centre 24 Bethlehem Peace Centre Manger Square 17 Lutheran Christmas Church 10 Where to stay 26 The Old town and the Souqs 10 Bethlehem Academy of Music 17 Featured Hotels 26 Beit Sahour 11 International Nativity Museum 18 Other Hotels 28 Shepherds Field 11 Crib of the Nativity Museum 18 Where to Dine 30 Monastery of Mar Saba 12 Bethlehem Peace Centre Manger Square 19 Restaurants 31 The Monastery of St. Theodosious 13 Bethlehem Academy of Music 19 Herodion 13 Tours Anat Women Folk & Cultural Centre 20 Beit Jala 14 The Cultural Centre for the Palestinian Child 20 Cremisan 14 Al Harat Theater 21 St. Nicolas Church 15 Catholic Action Club 21 Solomon,s Pools 15 Artas The International Center of Bethlehem 22 2 3 Bethlehem As the birth place of Christ, the ancient town of Bethlehem holds a connection with Christians from all around the world. While small in size and population, the town of Bethlehem and its surroundings has lots to offer to any visitor. At the heart of the town lies the Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity. Inside the church is the Grotto of the Nativity, marking the spot where Jesus was born. Since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, there has been quite a bit of development and restoration work throughout the town. A large number of tourism establishments such as hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops have been opened and are ready to serve all your travel needs. Beit Sahour Located a few kilometers southeast of Bethlehem is the town of Beit Sahour and Shepherds Field, where the angle announced to the shepherds the birth of Jesus Christ. There are three enclosures in the eastern part of Beit Sahour which are claimed by different denominations to be the actual ‘Shepherds’ Field:’ one belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church, another belonging to the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, and a third belonging to the Lutheran Church. Beit Jala North of Bethlehem lies the town of Beit Jala, famous for its beautiful skyline of church steeples and narrow roads. The town of Beit Jala is the natural expansion to the west of Bethlehem. It lies only two kilometers from the Church of the Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Its name comes from Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ, and means “grass carpet.” 4 5 SiteS & attractionS Manger Square BethleheM The open esplanade stretching from the Mosque of Omar to the Church of the Nativity constitutes Manger Square, the tourist center of Bethlehem. Lined with souvenirs shops, restaurants and cafés, and two visitor information centers, the Square underwent extensive renovation from 1998-2000 leading up to the millennium celebrations. Next to the Mosque of Omar is the Bethlehem municipality and the Bethlehem Peace Center. Beautifully restored old alleyways s and streets branch out from Manger Square such as the Milk Grotto street, or the Old Market (Souq). Tel: +972 2 274 3277 Opening Hour: 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. 6 7 BethleheM church of nativity BethleheM Milk grotto church The Church of the Nativity lies in the center of Bethlehem in Manger Square. Located a few minutes walk from the Church of the Nativity is the Milk Grotto It is one of the oldest working churches in existence today. The first church Church, so called because of the white colored rock on the floor which, was built by the Roman Emperor Constantine in the fourth century AD, over according to tradition, turned that color when a drop of Mary’s milk fell on the Grotto where Mary gave birth to Jesus. Constantine and his mother it while she nursing Jesus as she hid before her escape to Egypt. Today a Helena, built a magnificent and majestic church adorned with beautiful Franciscan Chapel surrounds the Grotto. marble and mosaics. Later, during the sixth century, the Byzantine emperor Justinian built a new and even more intricate church on the same spot. During the Persian invasion in the seventh century the church was spared Tel: +972 2 274 3277 Opening Hour: 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. destruction. By the eleventh century, the Crusaders raised their flag above the Basilica and renovated the church. The Church of the Nativity today stands in the middle of Manger Square and is essentially the same as when it was re-erected by Justinian with some additions from the Crusader period. Two sets of stairs lead down to the Grotto where there is a large fourteen pointed silver star marking the exact spot with the inscription: “Hic de Virgin Maria Jesus Christus Natus Est,” MoSque of oMar BethleheM meaning “Here Jesus Christ was born by the Virgin Mary.” The guardianship of the church is shared by three Christian denominations: Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Armenian. Next to the Basilica Located at the corner of Paul VI Street and Manger Square, the mosque was lies the Basilica of St. Catherine, built on the foundations of the Crusader church, which was erected in built in honor of the second Caliph Omar Ibn al-Khattab. A companion of the the twelfth century. The church was dedicated to Saint Catherine who died as a martyr in Egypt during Prophet Mohammed and his father-in-law, he entered Bethlehem after taking the fourth century. Just outside St. Catherine’s Basilica lies the Cloister of St. Jerome, best known for Jerusalem, and prayed in the southern aisle of the Basilica of the Nativity. translating the Bible into Latin. He guaranteed that the Basilica would remain a Christian place of worship in the Pact of Omar, which stipulated that Muslims would be allowed to pray Tel: +972 2 274 2440, Opening Hours: Summer (April – September) 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Winter (October – March) 5:30 a.m. –5:00p.m. Note: Grotto is closed on Sunday morning. Bethlehem St. Catherine’s Church Tel: 674 2425 Opening there only as individuals rather than in a roup and which prohibited calling for hours: Summer (April – September) 6:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Winter (October – March) 5:00 a.m. – Muslim prayer from inside the church walls. This pact set a precedent for good 12:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Notes: Sunday morning, open for Holy Masses Grotto opens in the afternoon and peaceful relations between Christians and Muslims, which remains today. Tel: +972 2 274 3277 Opening Hour: 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. 8 9 lutheran chriStMaS church BethleheM ShepherdS field (roMan catholic) Beit Sahour The Lutheran congregation of Bethlehem was founded in 1854 and is one of the oldest in Palestine. The current church was built between 1886-1893 Located in the town of Beit Sahour a few kilometers southeast of Bethlehem as the first Protestant church in Bethlehem. The unique shape of the is Shepherds Field (known in Arabic as Haql al-Ru’ah) where according to tower recalls the type of hat worn by Bethlehem women in the nineteenth tradition, the angel appeared to the Shepherds and informed them of Jesus’ century. Today it is a landmark at the top of the Al Madbasseh square. birth. The Roman Catholic known as the Church of the Angels features a The church was visited by Kaiser Wilhem II back in 1898. Franciscan chapel, built by architect Antonio Barluzzi in 1954, designed to resemble a shepherds’ tent. The acoustics inside the church are quite exceptional and provide a serene atmosphere for singing hymns. Beside the Tel: +972 2 274 3277 Opening Hour: 9:00 a.m.
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