Bethlehem Sights

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• the Church of the Nativity, Manger Square - undoubtedly the top attraction in Bethlehem, a veritable citadel built fortress-like on top of the cave where Jesus was allegedly born to Mary. The first incarnation of the building was erected on the orders of the Roman Emperor Constantine I (the Great) in 330 CE. While the layout largely corresponds to Emperor Justinian's plans from 540 CE (the first building haveing been destroyed in a 536 riot), the church was first heavily fortified by the Crusaders and then degraded (mostly through neglect) under Mamluk rule. An earthquake in 1834 and a fire in 1869 didn't help. Today, the structure is mostly sound but somewhat dark and gloomy in appearance, only the adjoining Franciscan Church of St Catherine (dated 1881 and the site of the yearly December 24 midnight mass broadcast around the world) being in excellent shape. The actual alleged site of Jesus' birth, the Grotto of the Nativity, is accessible from inside the church. (The tomb of famed theologian and Bethlehem resident St. Jerome is also in the Grotto.) Entrance to the entire complex is free, but in the high season be prepared for massive crowds and hour-long waits for entry into the Grotto.

• Rachel's Tomb, the burial place of the matriarch Rachel, wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin is the second most important historical site in Bethlehem. (Genesis 35:19-20). Holy to all three faiths, the Tomb has been the site of several Arab terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. As a result of the security situation, the Tomb's original structure has been surrounded by an Israeli fortress, barricading it off from Bethlehem. While the original tomb can still be seen in its entirety from within the fortress, access to the tomb is now restricted to those travelling by Egged bus from Jerusalem.

• the Shepherds' Fields - "While shepherds watched their flocks by night..." - rival locations claim to be the site of the angel's visitation to the shepherds mentioned in the Gospels:
  • the Orthodox Shepherds' Fields Here you will also find open excavations of an old Byzantine church.
  • the Catholic (Latin) Shepherds' Fields

• Minor sights include the Milk Grotto Chapel, where Mary supposedly spilled a few drops of breast milk while feeding Jesus, turning the cavern milky white. It is open all day.

• the Mosque of Omar A mosque in active use. Rather plain and uninteresting on the inside but somewhat pretty on the outside.

• Solomon's Pools

• the Old Town is also good for a stroll if you haven't seen an Arab city before.

• The graffiti by famed yet mysterious artist Banksy, drawn on the barrier wall dividing Bethlehem from Israel, has drawn worldwide media attention and is definitely worth a look. There are, I think, many other artists' work as well, including a Palestinian version of Guernica. To see this, it is probably best to hire a taxi.