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Sightseeing in Bethlehem - what to see. Complete travel guide

Bethlehem is one of the oldest cities in the Holy Land. Jewish people call it “the House of Bread”, and Arabians call it “the House of Meat”. This city is situated in Palestine, along the Jordan River and not far from Jerusalem. This is a major pilgrimage destination. According to the Bible, this is exactly where the son of God – Jesus Christ – was born. This is also where David was crowned as the King of Israel.

The history of Bethlehem started in the 17th – 16th century BC. Caanites were the first settlers in this territory. Later, Romans, who were pagans, established their authority over the region. There was even a period when Muslims were the dominating force in Bethlehem.

However, Pope Urban II was not satisfied with that fact. The Crusaders invaded the region and captured the territory briefly. Bethlehem ended up a part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and remained there until 1291. The authorities changed again in 1517 – now Ottomans took over the authority over this region. The city became a part of the State of Palestine only in 1995. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Are you out of ideas about things to do in this city? After your arrival in Bethlehem, visit the place where Jesus was supposedly born. This is a grotto under the 6th-century Church of the Nativity. Needless to say, this is an important landmark for many Christians around the world. First mentions of this church date back to 150 AD. Later, a church was built over the grotto in order to immortalize the holy place. The church features many elements of the original décor.

The look of the grotto itself changed unfortunately during several reconstructions which took place here in different years. Only walls still have traces of the past despite the fact that they were strengthened with a stone wall. The length of the cave is roughly twelve meters, and its width is three meters. If you want to see with your own eyes the place where the son of God and Virgin Mary was born, the church and grotto are must-visit landmarks.

Having explored the grotto, move your feet to Manger Square. This is one more important place of historical and cultural significance. Tourists will see the Basilica of the Nativity here. This is a gorgeous ancient building. While walking down the street, you will see pilgrims from all over the world. Bethlehem welcomes exceptionally many guests before Christmas. A big Christmas tree appears on the square for the festive season. People gather in groups and sing religious songs dedicated to the holiday and events, which took place on this day.

Additionally, many leaders of different branches of Christianity organize festive divine services for people. The square is always crowded at Christmas – celebrations and festivities do not stop until midnight. If you want to explore the area thoroughly and admire the architecture of this place, then it is better to visit the city during a non-holiday period.

Have you been dreaming of a child but still don’t have one? In this case, you need to come to Grotto of Our Lady or Milk Grotto. Women, who dream of giving birth, come to this grotto from all over the world to make a pilgrimage to this place. Moreover, if there is a problem with breastfeeding the newly born baby, you can also ask the Virgin Mary to help you. There is a praying area in the cave where Josef and Maria were hiding from the chase.

According to a local legend, Maria was feeding her small son here, and a drop of her milk fell down the floor. After that, all the walls changed their color to white. Local people believe that the powder collected in the grotto is helpful in treating infertility and normalizes lactation. Franciscan monks built a beautiful chapel above the grotto. Inside the cave, visitors can see an icon of the Virgin Mary. This icon has healing power, and stories of numerous women who became pregnant after praying here only prove this. There is a gallery of women’s photographs, and each of them is holding a small “gift” from Our Lady.

Many tourists come to Bethlehem from nearby Jerusalem. There is a security checkpoint between the cities. In order to cross it, you need to have a visa in your passport. If you have it, you can cross the border several times. Intercity buses transfer people between the two cities every day. The ride lasts only thirty minutes. It is also possible to get a taxi that will take you to Bethlehem. Don’t forget to negotiate the price before the ride. By taxi, it will take only fifteen minutes to get to the city.

This guide to iconic landmarks and sights of Bethlehem is protected by the copyright law. You can re-publish this content with mandatory attribution: direct and active hyperlink to www.orangesmile.com.

City tours, excursions and tickets in Bethlehem and surroundings

Reference information

Map of all castles

Survived castles around Bethlehem
♥ Castle 'Circus Tower' Milan, 97 km from the center. On the map Show on the map

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Map of all parks

National and city parks around Bethlehem
♥ County Park 'West Canal' , 13.8 km from the center. On the map Show on the map

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♥ State Park 'Jacobsburg' , 18.7 km from the center. On the map Show on the map

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♥ State Park 'Finesville' , 20.9 km from the center. On the map Show on the map

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♥ State Park 'Nockamixon' , 21.9 km from the center. On the map Show on the map

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♥ State Park 'Delaware Canal' , 25.5 km from the center. On the map Show on the map

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Map of all art museums

Art galleries in Bethlehem and around
♥ Art museum 'Allentown Art Museum' Allentown, 8.6 km from the center. On the map Show on the map

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Sights around Bethlehem from our guide 'Extreme places on Earth'

Duffy's Cut

From the series “The Most Dangerous Railroads in the World”

Check on the map: Duffy

Distance from Bethlehem center - 67.2 km.

The researcher suggested the possibility that the workers died in a violent manner. It’s possible that some of them were buried alive in the common grave. To honor the immigrant workers, commemorative memorials have been established nearby, since then the number of abnormal phenomena decreased significantly. Nonetheless, the mysterious railway Duffy’s cut continues to attract adventurous travellers. They do their best to gaze into the vicinities, hoping to see a real ghost. … Read further

Three Stooges Museum

From the series “Famous Museums of World Celebrities”

Check on the map: Three Stooges Museum on map

Distance from Bethlehem center - 51.3 km.

Here, you can find the film with all the series of the cult show. Museum visitors will have an opportunity to go back for some time and watch their favorite series. To do this, you can visit a cinema for up to 85 seats. The museum dedicated to the cult comedy series is private. The owner, Gary Lassina, puts a lot of efforts to maintain the exposure in a decent condition. There is no permanent work schedule, so tourists who want to visit it, are advised to specify operation hours in advance. … Read further

Sightseeing in Palestine: things to see

The middle of the 7th century marks the start of the Arab reign for Palestine. This period lasted until the end of the 11th century. For more than 400 years, the country was a part of the Ottoman Empire. Only in 1994, several regions of the country united and formed the State of Palestine. The country was officially added to the world map. … Open

Sightseeing in Bethlehem - what to see. Complete travel guide

City tours, excursions and tickets in Bethlehem and surroundings

Sights around Bethlehem from our guide 'Extreme places on Earth'

Duffy's Cut

Three Stooges Museum

Sightseeing in Palestine: things to see

Search touristic sites on the map of Bethlehem

Sightseeing in regions nearby Bethlehem