Nazareth

Places of Interest - Israël




introduction


Nazareth is located in the low Galilee area and is the center of the only mainly Palestinian-Arab agglomeration in the country. In addition to that fact, the city is of course known as the city where Jesus grew up. Not surprisingly Nazareth attracts thousands of Christian pilgrims for this reason, but also attracts thousands of Israeli day-trippers. The most famous symbol is the basilica of the announcement or annunciation, but there are countless interesting churches and buildings to admire.

 

The large presence of Arabs and Palestinians provides a chaotic, cozy and busy center with a colorful and fragrant market in the center. There are also many small restaurants and bakeries present. The city is an important service center for its own population and the entire environment, particularly in wholesale, retail, education, government services (together with Nazareth Illit), religion, entertainment, catering, welfare, healthcare and finance. Nazareth is especially known for its pastries and other sweets.


highlights


Basilica of the Annunciation:

The Basilica of the Annunciation (also Basilica of the Annunciation) is a Roman Catholic, 20th-century basilica in Nazareth, Israel. The basilica is the largest Christian church in the Middle East and one of the holiest in the world. In the middle of the 4th century a shrine was built around the place where, according to Roman Catholic tradition, the archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary.

 

Here he would have said that she was pregnant with Jesus, son of God. In the year of 383, Lady Egeria, a Spanish pilgrim, was shown a cave in which Mary would have lived. An altar was placed. This was probably the largest cave of a complex that became known in later centuries as the Cave of the Annunciation. On the ruins of the church the crusaders built a grand cathedral. After this the Franciscans partially rebuilt it, because it was destroyed by the earthquake.

 

The newly built church was replaced by a new one in 1955. In 1964, the basilica was consecrated by Pope Paul VI to the Virgin Mary.


Other sights in Nazareth:

Slightly north of the basilica is the St. Joseph church built in 1914. Here, the former carpets shop of the Biblical figure “Joseph” should have stood. This church is built on the remnants of a Crusader church. Located in the Arabic souq is the Greek Catholic Synagogue church that dates from the Crusader era.

 

It would be built on the place where the young Jesus would regularly pray and later preach. In the small Franciscan church just west of the actual center you can see a large piece of rock that Jesus and his disciples used toe at on after the resurrection.

 

According to Greek Orthodox doctrine, Archangel Gabriel would not come to Mary's house but while she was getting water. The Gabriel church has appeared because of this reason on this spot. The source that is meant for the above alleged place is now called the source of Mary. The water would contain healing powers. You can also take a look at the Salesian church of Jesus the adolescent and the Chapel of Fear.



history


Although excavations in the vicinity indicate a cemetery dating back to about 9000 BC, there are no further indications of early prehistoric occupation in the place we call Nazareth now. There is hardly any evidence to suggest the existence of a settlement between the Assyrian era and early Roman rule. In the New Testament of the Bible, Nazareth is mentioned as the city where the birth of Jesus was announced to Mary and as the place where he grew up.

 

In 2009, Israeli archaeologists found remains of buildings that were to date from the time of Jesus during excavations. Furthermore, few remnants from this period have been found. Perhaps the reason for this is that Nazareth in ancient times was a rather insignificant country town with an area of no more than 4 hectares and about 400 people. Only in the 4th century AD, when Christianity took a prominent place in the Roman Empire and the pilgrimage to Palestine got under way (because of the alleged find of the book in which Jesus learned to write and the table he was sitting at),

 

Nazareth became a place with greater meaning. Popular with pilgrims, countless churches were built.


The Crusaders made Nazareth their capital of Galilee. When they left the Middle East it lasted until the 17th century that Franciscans bought back the ruins of the basilica of the annunciation and made it Christian soil again. Nazareth was also the headquarters of Galilee during the British mandate period.

 

The city would come to lie in Arab territory concerning the UN distribution plan if it was not conquered by the Israeli army in 1948. When the Israeli bombardment started with mortar grenades and the population feared expulsion, it decided to leave on its own initiative. Arab governments tried to prevent this (in connection with the large numbers of refugees who were already there) and David Ben-Gurion, who was aware of the importance of the city for the international Christian community, did not want ethnic cleansing here. So he allowed the local Israeli commander's order to go into depopulation to withdraw. Nazareth is therefore the largest Arab-Palestinian city in Israel. 

 

In 1997, the Christian and Muslim populations were in conflict over the construction of a central mosque next to the central church building, the Basilica of the Annunciation; under massive pressure from the international Christian community, including the Vatican and the then president of the U.S. George W. Bush finally stopped the construction of the mosque in 2002.

 

With this name the Palestinian Israelis refer to the protests and acts of violence that - with the beginning Second Intifada in the Palestinian Territories - occurred in the state of Israel between Jewish and Palestinian Israelis. 13 Palestinian Israelis were killed. Started on 1 October and ending on 10 October 2000, Nazareth was mainly on 8 and 9 October a scene of riots between residents of the higher Jewish Nazareth Illit and Palestinian inhabitants of Nazareth.



tips & advice (2004)


The Nazareth bus station is located east of the center.

 

Nazareth - Tiberias: every hour a bus (number 431) departs from Nazareth bus station to Tiberias. Price is 20 NIS and the journey takes about an hour.


  • Name: Sisters of Nazareth Convent

Address: El Bishara

Price: 25 NIS (dormitory)

Phone nr. : 655 4304

 

Content:

Located in the southern part of the center, this monastery can provide an overnight stay. The reception opens at 16:00 (and closes at 10:30 PM) and the monastery can be full of pilgrims or European tour groups but sometimes you can be lucky and you’re alone.

 

The monastery has a lounge-dining room, a romantic courtyard and you can also get breakfast.



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