Page 28 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Israel & Petra

26 ❯❯ Top 10 Israel and Petra Highlights

Bethlehem

According to the Hebrew Bible, Bethlehem was the birthplace of
the shepherd-boy David and the site of his coronation as the King
of Israel. It is, of course, most famous as the birthplace of Jesus.
In AD 326 Constantine the Great had a church built on the site, and
today the Church of the Nativity is Christendom’s oldest house of
prayer. Just 6 miles (10 km) south of Jerusalem, Bethlehem has
been under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority since 1995.
Once majority Christian, it is now about 75 percent Muslim.

Banksy’s
Shepherds’ Fields
1 2
Graffiti
In the nearby village of Beit Sahour lies the site
where the “shepherds watched their flocks by night.” In 2005 and 2007, the
Catholic and Greek churches (above) mark where renowned UK street
the host of angels is believed to have appeared. artist Banksy put about
a dozen images on the
NEED TO KNOW Baituna Al-Talhami separation wall in the
West Bank. Many of
MAP F4 Museum: Star St, off Pope his iconic artworks can
Paul VI St; (02) 274 2589;
Church of the Nativity: open 8am–1pm & 2–5pm be seen in Bethlehem.
open summer: 6:30am– Mon–Wed, Fri, & Sat,
Church of the
7:30pm daily, winter: 3
5am–5pm daily, closed noon–5pm Thu; adm Nativity
Sun morning Palestinian Heritage The cave under this JER USALEM HEBRON RD MANGER
Rachel’s Tomb: Hebron Rd; Center: www.palestinian church set on Manger K ARKAFAH
Square has been revered
open daily heritagecenter.com
as the birthplace of
The Milk Grotto: open • Buses for Bethlehem Christ since AD 160 – CHILDREN MAN GE R
8am–5pm daily leave from the Arab bus a silver star marks the
St. Catherine’s Church: station located opposite spot. The church was
open summer: 6:30am– the Damascus Gate in rebuilt in 530, but many
7:30pm, winter: 5am–5pm Jerusalem’s Old City. features remain from
the original basilica.
Eyewitness Travel – Top 10 series LAYERS PRINTED:
Three-column, 8.25pt grid “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1.5)
026-027_Top_10_Israel.indd 26 19/06/2017 12:57
Date 12th May 2015
Size 100mm x 191mm