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Foreword The idea behind this guidebook was born at Diyar within the framework of a project called “The Palestinian Youth Leadership Training Project – Phase III”. This project, supported by the Representative Office of Finland in , aimed at identifying, motivating and cultivating young Palestinian leaders as informed, engaged and proactive citizens by empowering them to articulate and organize around significant civic issues through using the powerful medium of culture. As part of this initiative, Palestinian youth were challenged to come up with innovative cultural ideas that they would like to implement to enhance the culture of their cities and villages. Ghadeer Najjar, a young Palestinian Christian female architect, who worked at the Center for Cultural Heritage and Preservation and was finishing her MA in Tourism Studies, was eager to develop a guidebook that will show as seen through the eyes of its own people. Diyar provided for Ghadeer an incubator to develop the idea and provided her with the needed mentorship, expertise and funding. The outcome was stunning: a first-of- its-kind guidebook that gives a unique insight into the cultural, social, religious facets of the little town and its oral history that got placed it on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. No wonder that the project was able to win one of the three awards on social innovation by CAFCAW “The Christian Academic Forum for Citizenship in the Arab World” in 2016. This book would not have been possible without the dedication of Ghadeer Najjar, and the many working hours by graphic designer Engred Khoury. Thanks goes also to Mr. Andreas Kuntz for reading the manuscript and providing valuable feedback. We owe Ms. Karen Mann for providing the English language editing of the book. Last but not least our thanks and gratitude goes to the Representative Office of Finland in Ramallah that funded this Project and to Ms. Rana Khoury, who was responsible for the overall management of this initiative.

Bethlehem, July 2017 Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb

Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 6-7 8/13/20 10:13 AM Beit Jala Bethlehem University Hospital

Jerusalem Hebron St. action square

David Wells

Star Street

culturalManger St.

Pope Paul VI St.

Salesian Street

Route mapBus Madbase square Station

Star Street Beit 7 Sahour Dar Paul VI St. Annadwa Beit Sahour St.

Quos Fawaghre St. Zarara 9 Manger St. 8 5 6 1 12 2 4 3 Peace 10 11 Star Street Center Market 14 Najajre St. 16 Manger Nativity Muni- Square Church Convent of Carmelite 15 cipality Sisters in Bethlehem 13

Milk Grotto St.

17 19 Milk Grotto Church

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 8-9 8/13/20 10:13 AM Heritage Route a large room) to discuss houses formed a protective arriving from the Diaspora the issue of the day, and barrier with a larger gate started to build their hous- Bethlehem, a town ap- would remain there until a at the main routes to other es alongside the convents. proached from the main decision was reached. Each towns. Gradually, Bethlehem road connecting clan appointed a Sheikh started to develop outside with Hebron, gained impor- (leader), usually one of the its old core and clan mem- tance when pilgrims began elders. The Sheikh, later The building of convents bers built new houses in to flock to the town, espe- known as the mukhtar, and churches by mission- gardens and along the key cially after the construc- was not only the person to aries coming from Europe roads and paths to neigh- tion of the Nativity Church whom clan members would strongly influenced the boring villages. over a cave. Just after 150 turn to solve a problem, but expansion of the urban AD, Christian philosopher also acted as a conduit be- fabric and architectural and martyr, Justin of Nab- tween clan members and styles. Urban expansion The Heritage Route guides lus, was the first to refer the authorities. started towards the west the visitor through the sev- to a cave where Jesus was after the German Luther- en quarters in the dense born. an Church built a school core of old Bethlehem and the mansion houses of the Seven clans, six of them within the Madbaseh area early 20th century. Start at Christian and one Muslim, in 1860. The large con- lived together peacefully in vent buildings sited next the taxi stop sign and as- In the past, society was their own distinctive neigh- to the local Palestinian cend the Deik stairs within ordered by family clan and borhoods or harat in the old vernacular architecture the Tarajmeh quarter, it is these clans that have core of Bethlehem. altered the context of the close to Manger Square. defined the traditions, ar- west of the city, especially Don’t miss the tiny vault chitecture, and urban con- after the construction of that covers part of the text of the seven different the Franciscan Antonio staircase before you reach quarters within the historic The dense old core of Beth- Beloni orphanage school the Palestinian Bible Soci- center of Bethlehem. The lehem consists mainly of (1863), the Frères (De ety and the clan square. En- square around which family traditional architecture that La Salle) school (1892), joy the shade of the loquat houses were clustered was dates from the Ottoman and the French hospital (askidinia) tree planted at the site of the clan’s daily period of (1515- (1890). These construc- the Dabdob house, which activities, special events, 1917), constructed over the tions prompted develop- houses the Baituna Talhami meetings, and feast days. remains of buildings from ment of the streets (light- Museum. In good times and bad, the Roman, Byzantine, and Cru- ing and cleanliness) and men of the family would · The route includes stairs and is sader times. The city was provided a safer environ- not accessible by people with meet in this square (or in designed in such a way that ment for residents; people disabilities.

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 10-11 8/13/20 10:13 AM 1. Tarajmeh Quarter 2. The Palestinian Bible 3. Bethlehem Folklore Mu- Society-Bethlehem seum – Baituna Talhami The Tarajmeh family is said to be descended from Branch (PBS) French, Italian and Brit- The Christian cultural cen- ish Crusaders who stayed ter in Bethlehem was es- on in Bethlehem and later tablished in 1993 and is worked as translators to one of eight branches of Franciscan and pil- the United Bible Society grims. They married wom- (UBS) in the , en from Bethlehem and Jerusalem and Gaza Strip. Bethlehem Folklore Museum – blended into local society, The UBS began its work Baituna Talhami forming their own family; in the region in 1816. The they were called Tarajmeh center promotes the Holy Established in 1972 by the (translator) in reference to Bible and performs social Bethlehem Women’s Union their main profession. The Qos Deik work with different social to reflect the heritage of blond family members were groups, especially young late 19th to early 20th century multilingual and excelled in people and children. Bethlehem houses, Baituna carving mother of pearl and Talhami (Our Bethlehem olive wood. Hanna Mansour House) attempts to convey Abu Khalil (the first mayor www.pbs-web.com, 02 5850086. the daily lives of Bethlehem of Bethlehem municipality) residents at that period in (Mansour House - Heritage rooms furnished with tra- Route) and Morcous Nassar ditional items, old pictures, (the first Bethlehem archi- clothing, and jewelry. Don’t tect) (Cultural Route) were miss the traditional crochet descendants of this family. embroidery decorating the The women of the family first floor bedroom. Regu- perfected the art of needle lar Palestinian embroidery embroidery and were de- work and the unique Beth- scribed by travelers as sit- lehem qasab embroidery, ting in front of their houses decorated with gold-col- and creating pieces of nee- ored thread, by Bethlehem dlework. craftswomen are all sold in The Palestinian Bible Society-Bethlehem Tarajmeh Quarter Branch the gift shop.

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 12-13 8/13/20 10:13 AM www. bethawu.org, 0 2 2742453. Mon-Sat 8:00-12:00 & 14:00-17:00. A cup of Arabic coffee Tickets available. or a glass of sweet mint tea served with some traditional sweets is Bethlehem women are un- an essential part of the rivaled in their embroidery Bethlehem walking tour skills and the use of gold- experience. Enjoy a walk colored thread to decorate around the commercial their dresses. The traditional area with the smells Bethlehem woman’s dress of coffee beans freshly was famed for its qabbe, the ground with cardamom, or visit the spice shops embroidered panel over the Palestinian Embroidery chest. Embroidery with gold- to see the colorful array colored thread became so of zatar (wild thyme), pepper, turmeric, and popular in central and south- Turn right onto Star Street ern Palestine that an entire other spices. and after 20 meters you industry developed in Beth- Crochet Work lehem. In 1930 up to 336 reach the Orient Mill, women were employed by an original coffee shop leading ladies from the Nasir that has been in business family, and by Rohina Nas- continuously since 1936. 4. Orient Mill sar and Hilani Salameh. Only On both sides of Star Street small changes have been in- The Orient Mill shop was are two striking mansion troduced over the years such first established by Tawfiq houses built by prominent as developments in the mal- Jamal Ama in 1936 to grind Bethlehem residents. ak, the fabric after which the coffee brought from Latin dress is named. There were Mansour House on the left America. The Ama family innovations in dress all over was built by the first mayor state that they import Co- Palestine such as the use of of Bethlehem municipality lombian coffee exclusively velvet or the wearing of fash- and faces Ghazzawi House. ionable shawls. Church mis- for the shop, which is con- Both families could observe sionary schools taught young sidered to be the best in the the key religious, cultural women crochet embroidery, whole area for nuts, spices mathematics, languages, and and political events taking and coffee, and has clients history. Pieces of embroidery place on Al-Manara who come from far and with beige crochet-stitching Square. Turn left to the wide. decorated many houses and alley leading to the Syriac children’s clothes. Orient Mill Hosh. Mon-Sat 8:00-19:00.

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 14-15 8/13/20 10:13 AM 5. Mansour House 6. Ghazzawi House 7. Hreizat Quarter The Mansour family house Mansour House was influ- The Ghazawi family worked The family was formed of was built in 1914 for Hanna enced by European archi- in trade and acquired suf- individuals who came from Mansour (Abu Khalil), the tectural style. Built of white ficient wealth to build this Im Tuba village, south of first mayor of Bethlehem stone, it has a huge arched house of expensive red Jerusalem. Christian in- who was appointed in 1895. portico (riwaq) covering sleib stones in 1924. The habitants of villages close Educated at the Salesian a terrace that overlooks house was furnished with to Bethlehem joined with School, Mansour went to Star Street. The ceiling and items brought from Bethlehem families for se- work in Paris trading items walls of the salon are paint- and floral drawings deco- curity, and also to be closer from Bethlehem. As mayor ed with floral motifs by an rate the ceilings and walls. to the Church of the Nativ- of Bethlehem, he intro- Austrian artist. The house ity, which acted as a refuge duced street lighting at a was renovated and inhab- in times of violence. The time when this was rare in eted by the Center for Cul- Two shop units overlooking Hreizat quarter is known cities of the Levant. He also tural Heritage Preservation Star Street were used for for the fact that it lost most appointed night guards to (CCHP) between 2005 and the post office during the of its families through emi- improve security and intro- 2015. British Mandate era; these gration abroad. Hreizat duced drainage and stone were set on fire by activ- family members came from paving to the city streets. ists in 1938. Later one of the Diaspora brining new the shops was rented to the ideas for entertainment in first Bethlehem photogra- the city. pher, Micheal, whose pho- tos document and archive Bethlehem’s development.

Hosh Hreizat

The Sabag family opened a coffee shop in ground floor shops located on Mansour House Ghazzawi House Star Street and presented

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 16-17 8/13/20 10:13 AM strange animals brought the quarter led to a typi- from Africa (Pilgrims cal 18th century traditional Palestinian cuisine in Bethlehem commonly features route). Zarzar established urban cluster of units sur- rice dishes for lunch. The famous taboun bread is pre- pared and baked during the early morning. Oven dishes the Bethlehem cinema at rounding a shared square. include baked goods like zatar breads and meat patties Madbaseh, creating one of (sfiha), or a favorite dish of musakhan, prepared with the most vibrant zones in onions, sumac, and chicken. the city (Cultural route). At the Hosh, don’t miss the stone engravings on the el- evations and on the stones 8. Syriac Hosh that separate the double windows. The engraving of The Hreizat quarter in- “1739” on the Riadi House cludes the Syriac Hosh is the earliest date marked (Pilgrims route), today a on a Bethlehem house. guesthouse, and Fawda café and restaurant. The double-arched vault into www.hoshalsyrian.com, 02 2747529.

Palestinian Cuisine - Bread

A hosh was a cluster of houses surrounding a shared court- yard for family activities. Most of the houses had small openings that overlooked the hosh and the entrance to the hosh square was accessible through narrow alleys.

Fawda Restaurant – Syriac Hosh A Hosh

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 18-19 8/13/20 10:13 AM Back on Star Street, turn tiful barreled vault arch 9. Fawaghreh Quarter right to Paul VI. Street, of Qos Fawaghreh that noting the Syriac Orthodox marks the entrance to the The first members of Beth- Family member Soboh Church (Pilgrims Route) Fawaghreh Quarter, the lehem’s only Muslim family Shokeh was a city sheikh on your right and the relo- neighborhood of the only came from Faghour village in the first half of the 19th cated Bethlehem market Muslim family. The quar- near Bethlehem. Initial- century and was the leader (Heritage Route) on your ter was destroyed by the ly coming to Bethlehem of the revolution against left. Paul VI. Street (once Egyptian governor Ibra- for trade purposes, more Ibrahim Basha in Jerusa- Hreizat Street) is one of him Basha (son of Moham- members joined the family lem. He conceived of the the main streets of the city mad Ali Al-Masri) during during political unrest and idea of entering Jerusalem center connecting east 1831 to 1840 after family wars in the 17th century. through sewage pipes un- with west and defining two members had led a revolu- Family members worked in der the Old City during the quarters: the Hreizat quar- tion against Egyptian rule agriculture, building con- 1837 blockade. ter to the right and the Na- in Jerusalem because of struction, wood delivery, jajreh quarter to the left. extra taxes and conscrip- and as “city sheikhs”. They The street was renamed af- tion. played an active role during th Turn left at the corner of ter the visit of Pope Paul VI. the 17 century in oppos- Farahiyeh Street, noting the to the in 1964. ing the demands of the Ot- huge Yousef Jacir house toman governor of Bethle- on your right. Don’t miss the coffin work- hem for higher taxes. shop located in the last shop with the Kattan Man- sion on your right. The own- er claims to have learnt this An earthquake in 1927 profession from his Syriac caused widespread de- struction and led to chang- father who fled Turkey at es in the urban fabric when the age of 16 and produced traditional buildings sur- hand-made coffins using a rounding irregular hoshes minimum of equipment and were replaced by new, no electricity. more uniform designs. Existing mansion houses were supported by steel wires that ran through Turn left into an alley the building, as visible on leading to the Fawaghreh building elevations. quarter, noting the beau- Hosh Hazboun Fawaghreh Quarter

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 20-21 8/13/20 10:13 AM 10. Yousef Jacir Hosh ing the vault of Qos Shaer 11. The Souq (City Market) The seasonal agricultural you enter the dense core of harvest determines the va- This house was built in 1883 Bethlehem, the Farahiyeh The souq plays a very im- riety of recipes prepared in for Yousef Jacir, the same Quarter. portant social role in bring- Bethlehem or the preserving owner of the Jacir Palace ing together Bethlehem of foodstuffs for use through- (Bethlehemites in Jerusa- residents and the inhab- out the year. Peasants from lem route). The hosh is 50 itants of the surround- surrounding villages go from meters in length with up to ing area to buy their basic house to house to sell the best of their harvest, or offer six floors, two of which are goods. Farmers sell their goods for sale from the road- below street level. The con- delicious organic fruits side, dressed in their beauti- struction is currently sepa- and vegetables, which are fully embroidered robes. The rated and used by different freshly picked according market is a vibrant location families and merchants. Its to the season. These fruits with sellers shouting out their wares and customers main gate is ornamented and vegetables are organic bargaining fiercely over the with a cross and phrases of in comparison with the sur- price of vegetables, fruits, poetry with the name of the plus production of the Is- meat, and other essentials. owner and the date of con- raeli agricultural industry struction. that floods local markets. The city market was moved in 1927 from near Manger

Carved keystone Square to its current loca- tion next to the Fawaghreh/ Najajreh quarters as one of the provisions of the 1924 The people of Bethlehem Master Plan. adopted stone-cutting and engraving as their main Yousef Jacir Hosh profession. They excelled in building with stone and During an ordinary work- played a major role in the ing day, the smell of spic- building of mansion houses es floats out of the shops and convents in Jerusalem, Nazareth, Ramallah, Gaza, along the street. Cross Qos and villages neighboring Shaer and take the second Bethlehem. left into the Bethlehem municipal market. Cross- City Market Locally planted harvest sold by peasants

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 22-23 8/13/20 10:13 AM Escape the bustle of the rusalem. Yousef and his 13. Al-Bad Museum: the “Bad Giacaman Museum” market chaos down a nar- son, Suliman Jacir, owners row alley to the Farahi- of large properties in Beth- yeh Quarter, known for lehem and the Jacir Palace its second-hand goods. on Jerusalem Hebron road The 1792 Giacaman house the entire traditional hosh Keep right until reaching (Bethlehemites in Jeru- sheltered a traditional inside the old core and the Najajreh Square with ac- salem route), gained great stone oil press at under- findings of an archeological cess onto Najajreh Street. wealth by trading goods ground level. This was excavation that documents At the Square, don’t miss from factories in France, turned into a museum to the ancient roots of human the house with the double Austria, and Germany in display the traditional man- settlement in this area. windows that overlooks Palestine during the 19th ual pressing of olives to pro- the area. century. Their wealth en- duce olive oil. The museum 02 - 274 1583, Mon - Thur & abled them to build their allows visitors to explore Sat 8:30 – 16:30. impressive mansion house on the Jerusalem-Hebron road. 12. Farahiyeh Quarter This quarter is named af- ter a forefather, Farah, who came from Wadi Musa (near Petra) around 600 AD to settle in Bethlehem. Family members excelled in stone engraving and building, trade, and mother of pearl items. Abdallah Zablah, a family member, contributed to the building of many churches and con- vents, the De La Salle build- ing located within Bethle- hem University (Cultural Route), and the Ratisbonne Church and convent in Je- Farahiyeh Quarter Al- Bad Museum

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 24-25 8/13/20 10:13 AM 14. Najajreh Quarter Ibrahim Hazboun estab- 15. Traditional Oven House 16. Jabra Ibrahim Jabra lished a factory to extract House This family claims that potassium and phosphate some of their ancestors from the Dead Sea during Jabra Ibrahim Jabra’s came from Najran in Ye- the late Ottoman period be- autobiographical stories men and were Christian in fore the factory was trans- describe life in Bethlehem religion but Arab in culture. ferred to Jewish ownership in the 1930s and 1940s Arriving in Bethlehem with in 1917. and his early childhood Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khatab, recollections of a they retained their Christian courtyard, a big door, and faith. This example high- Najajreh Street is made up, a room without windows lights that Palestine has al- to the right, of houses with on the ground floor under a ways been able to integrate a minimum of three floors Syriac prayer room. Today, newcomers and incorporate and shop units to suit the the courtyard is roofed and foreign identities seam- location on a commercial used as part of a shop. lessly into the inheritance of street. Don’t miss the Tra- Traditional oven house previous cultures. ditional Oven House to your left before you reach the two-story house of Jabra This shop has a Turkish Turn right and take one of The Hazboun family ex- Ibrahim Jabra, (no.56); the oven on a lower floor with a the wide staircases to ar- celled in building and over- great Palestinian writer, narrow opening to keep the rive at the main water foun- saw the construction of the artist, and philosopher. heat inside. It has existed tain of Bethlehem, Latin Convent within the since the period of Turkish Ein Assabil. city walls in Jerusalem; the rule over Palestine and is and convent still used to cook traditional in Nablus; the Augusta Vic- dishes served at family fes- toria hospital church and tivities. The shop special- guest house; and the Pater izes in qidreh (a traditional Noster church in Jerusa- Turkish dish of meat and lem. Elias and his rice cooked in one pot). Yacoub Hazboun worked in trade and brought goods such as leather, spices, and mother of pearl from Sudan and India. Najajreh Quarter Jabra Ibrahim Jabra house

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 26-27 8/13/20 10:13 AM 17. Ein Assabil Jabra Ibrahim Jabra The first water channel Jabra Ibrahim Jabra was one into Arabic is a masterpiece of language craftsmanship. Jabra led from the springs in the of the leading twentieth centu- south of Bethlehem to Je- ry novelists in the Arab world. was also a painter and some of Born in Bethlehem in 1919 to his paintings were discovered rusalem and was probably a Syriac Orthodox family who recently in his brother’s flat on built under King Herod or fled the genocide in Turkey, Star Street (Sama’n House- one of his predecessors Jabra studied in Bethlehem Cultural route). After the Na- from the Maccabean clan. Ein Assabil and Jerusalem before at- kba, Jabra went to Iraq and This fountain was con- settled in Baghdad, becoming a tending Cambridge. His novel, nected to Suleiman’s Pools The First Well, documented powerful voice for modernity in in Artas village and used As the need for water in- Jabra’s life in the little town of the Arab world. He died there in creased dramatically in Jeru- Bethlehem during the British 1994; his home where he kept to be a busy spot where salem, water was transported Mandate. Jabra’s fame was valuable paintings, books, and Bethlehem residents and from springs in the south of in the area of translation and art works was destroyed in water carriers collecting Jerusalem and Bethlehem literary criticism. His transla- 2010 by a car bomb. water met with exhausted along a 21km aqueduct to the tion of Shakespeare’s works pilgrims visiting the Holy temple compound in Jeru- Land. salem. A portion of this early aqueduct ran underneath the Pass through the street that town of Bethlehem and re- separates the Qawawseh mained the town’s source of Quarter to the right from water for nearly 2,000 years. During the 2nd century AD, the Anatreh Quarter on the another aqueduct was built left. Dar Sitti Azzizeh on by a Roman legion heading your left is another guest- for Jerusalem. The Ottomans house that was renovated repaired this system on sev- in 2012 to offer tourists an eral occasions until the Brit- exceptional cultural experi- ish installed iron pipes and ence within the historical pumping stations. In recent times, Bethlehem residents center of Bethlehem have relied on their own wells (Cultural Route). as a source of water. These beautiful wells can be seen in the courtyards of many of the older houses.

Jabra Ibrahim Jabra - Street sign in Bethlehem

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 28-29 8/13/20 10:13 AM 18. Qawawseh Quarter metal-edged stick bang- Climb the staircase to en- ing on the stone alleys and ter the Anatreh Quarter, a The traditional qos are a This family gained its name squares in Bethlehem dur- beautiful and tranquil area feature in larger towns from wearing a qawas ing December is to wel- built in white limestone in and cities. These beauti- fully built cross vaulted (kawas), a special Turk- come the different Patri- traditional Bethlehem ar- ish suit decorated with covers to paths are usually archs into the Church of the chitectural style. Don’t miss built by a family to expand golden threads, worn with Nativity. This is especially the palace-style house with their property after agree- a red tarbush hat and sil- useful on Orthodox Christ- its outdoor staircase and ment with neighbors. The ver sword at the waist. A mas night when the Nativity vaulted cover. Stop briefly qos usually defines the en- long wooden baton with a Church is crowded and the and turn left to admire the trance to a quarter or hosh decorated metal piece at procession needs to pass cross vaulted arches (qos) as a semi-public area that the lower end was used by incorporates a higher level up the aisle to the nave of that cover two roads, be- of privacy. these tall men to bang the the Basilica. fore crossing the arch on floor in front of the Patri- your right. arch or diplomats in pro- cessions. Clan members also worked in cloth dye- ing, especially for women’s clothes. Most of the neighborhood where this clan lived was once located in what is Manger Square today, but the neighborhood was de- molished during the last expansion of the Square in 1963. Although the job of the qa- was is no longer linked to the clan, the tradition still exists of welcoming the Pa- triarch in front of churches during holidays and cel- ebrations. The sound of the Qawawseh Quarter Anatreh Quarter

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 30-31 8/13/20 10:13 AM 19. Anatreh Quarter soldiers took over many rooms and roof tops to This family arrived in Beth- observe and shoot at those lehem around 1700 AD During the early 20th century, wealthy residents of sheltering in the church. Bethlehem built their mansion houses in a European from Tel Antar village south Bulldozers moving through architectural design and away from the old core of the of Herodion and joined the the neighborhood damaged city. New architectural elements were introduced such other clans living beside street infrastructure; parts as carved stones around windows and doors, and en- the Nativity Church. One of buildings were later gravings of the name of the building’s owner and the clan member, building con- repaired by CCHP (Cultural date of construction. The concept of a shared square was reflected in an enclosed room or liwan with bigger tractor Zakharia Bandak, Route). built the Jerusalem Cop- windows and balconies overlooking the main street and the fields. The entrance accessible directly from the tic Church outside the city street was usually in the center of the main elevation walls and was then asked At the end of the alley, look to participate in building to the right for a view over Dabaga Souq next to the the Agricultural Terraces Holy Sepulcher Church in of Bethlehem, which are Jerusalem. The quarter is still maintained today. considered the best pre- served within Bethlehem historic center, with minor additions constructed adja- cent to traditional buildings. The neighborhood is home to different dominations of churches and convents liv- ing side by side with same family descendant living in the traditional hosh.

The inhabitants of this quarter suffered heavily during the second intifada and the 2004 siege of the Nativity Church site. Israeli Anatreh Quarter Anatreh Quarter

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Tourist GUIDE BOOK_July_FINAL Mounir2.indd 32-33 8/13/20 10:13 AM