If you are planning to go to Bethlehem for a day trip from Jerusalem, the previous article mentioned how to get to the right place from Jerusalem. Today's post contains some useful information for you on how to get from Jerusalem to the West Bank as well as places to visit in Bethlehem.
The city of Bethlehem has always been considered the birthplace of Jesus Christ. So Bethlehem should be high on your list of places to visit in Israel if you are a Christian. Bethlehem is located in the West Bank, part of the Palestinian Territory. Travelers are free to enter and exit the checkpoint from Jerusalem to Bethlehem without any restrictions.
The main tourist attraction here is the Church of the Nativity
The Church of the Nativity is a pilgrimage destination on a traditional pilgrimage route connecting Jerusalem to Bethlehem. The basilica you see today replaced the original church built by Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, in 339 AD. The church was built in AD. Destroyed by fire in the 6th century.
This was replaced by a 6th century basilica commissioned by the Emperor Justinian and rebuilt by the Crusaders in the 12th century. You can still see the mosaics of the original church, as well as terraced gardens and Latin, Greek Orthodox and Armenian monasteries that reflect the diversity of Palestine. Some pilgrims kiss the 14-pointed silver star inside the grotto, which represents the birthplace of Jesus.
One of the amazing features of the Church of the Nativity is its small modest doorway, which is about 4 feet high and 2 feet wide. The Crusaders reduced the size of the entrance, inserted a pointed arched doorway and walled off the upper part of the original. Later the doorway was lowered further to prevent the Mamluks from entering the mosque on horseback. Now it is only 1.2 meters high and visitors have to bend down when entering. Today the main entrance of the church is called "Door of Humility". Because when you pass it you have to bow down to enter.
In the north are the Armenian altars of the Virgin and the Three Kings. At the south end is the altar of the circumcision belonging to the Greeks. A finely carved door from the southern area gives access to the stairs leading down to the birth cave. The actual spot where Jesus is said to have been born is marked with a silver star. For Christian pilgrims, this small cave is a place of deep religious significance and the main highlight of a visit here.
The nave of the church is supported by four rows of eleven monolithic columns with Corinthian capitals. Two openings in the floor allow visitors to see the mosaics on the floor of Emperor Constantine's chapel in 325 CE. It is located 60 cm below the present ground level.
Paintings from the Crusader era are preserved on the pillars and on the walls of the clerestory. On the right side are the ancestors of Christ, and on the columns are figures of saints and helmets of King Baldwin I (the first king of Jerusalem during the Crusader period).
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