The road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem |
Many road signs in the Palestinian Territories are trilingual (Hebrew, Arabic, English) |
Green Palestinian Authority license plate, Bethlehem |
Green Palestinian Authority license plate, Bethlehem |
9-series Palestinian plates are registered to the southern West Bank, (Bethlehem, Hebron) |
Bank of Palestine, Bayt Jala |
Quds Bank, Bayt Jala |
Bus 21 from the Arab bus station in East J'lem costs NIS 6 and leaves you at the corner of Hebron Street and Beit Jala Street. |
From there it's a little over 1 km to Manger Square on foot without the hassle of going through the checkpoint. |
Palestinian flags, Bethlehem |
New commercial building in Bethlehem, not quite finished |
Substantial stone house along Pope Paul IV St, Bethlehem |
Stone building dated 1884 that looks in need of some care, 256 Pope Paul IV St. |
Grand Hotel on the corner of Pope Paul IV and Freres St, west of Manger Square, Bethlehem |
Getting into the commercial center of Bethlehem |
Lutheran Christmas Church, Pope Paul IV Street, Bethlehem |
Lutheran Christmas Church, Bethlehem |
Lutheran Christmas Church, Bethlehem |
Lutheran Christmas Church, Bethlehem |
Evangelische Lutheranische Weihnachtskirche, Bethlehem |
Old Town - Bethlehem |
Farahiya Street, a small road parallel to Pope Paul IV |
Fresh meat, Bethlehem Souq |
Meat hanging in front of a butcher shop in the Bethlehem Souq |
Fresh vegetables, Bethlehem Souq |
Bethlehem Souq |
Bethlehem Souq |
View to the south from Bethlehem |
View to the south from Bethlehem |
Narrow streets between the Souq and Manger Square |
...getting closer to Manger Square |
Manger Square, Bethlehem |
Bethlehem Peace Center, Manger Square |
Bethlehem Peace Center, Manger Square |
The division of Palestinian and Jewish land starting in 1946, UN partition plan of 1947, 1949-1967, and finally, 2000 |
A Tourist's Guide to the Occupation, information board on Manger Square, Bethlehem |
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, first commissioned in 326 AD by the Emperor Constantine |
Church of the Nativity - the oldest church in use, inaugurated 339 AD |
Church of the Nativity - after the original structure was destroyed, it was rebuilt by Emperor Justinian in 531 AD |
كنيسة المهد - Church of the Nativity |
The present structure of the Church of the Nativity dates from 1169 |
Bell Tower on the Armenian Monastery, Church of the Nativity |
The Church of the Nativity complex includes Greek and Armenian monasteries, the Church of St Catherine, the Cloiser of St Jerome |
In the basement of the Church of the Nativity are monastic caves and the Grotto of the Nativity |
The fortress-like Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem |
People entering the tiny door to the Church of the Nativity |
Main entrance to the Church of the Nativity |
During Ottoman times, the size of the main entrance was reduced to prevent mounted horsemen from entering |
Door of Humility, Church of the Nativity |
Palestinian National Authority - Guidelines for visiting the Church of the Nativity |
St. George and the Dragon, Cloister of St. Jerome |
St. George and the Dragon, Cloister of St. Jerome |
The Church of St. Catherine (15th C.), part of the Church of the Nativity Complex |
Statue of St. Jerome in the cloister courtyard in front of the Catholic Church of St. Catherine, Church of the Nativity |
St. Jerome (S. Hieronymus) translated the Bible into Latin and died here in 420 A.D. |
The Cloister of St. Jerome, Church of the Nativity Complex |
Statue of St. Catherine of Alexandria (ca 282-ca 307), Bethlehem |
The Church of St. Catherine, the site of the famous Midnight Mass, enlarged in 1881 |
Main altar, Church of St. Catherine (Roman Catholic) Bethlehem |
Main altar of the Church of St. Catherine, site of the famous televised Midnight Mass |
Church of St. Catherine took its present form in 1881 |
Church of St. Catherine, Bethlehem |
Stained glass window of the Nativity, Belgian - 1926, Church of St. Catherine |
Stained glass window of the Adoration of the Magi, Church of St. Catherine, Bethlehem |
Church of St. Catherine, Bethlehem |
Chapel of St. Joseph, Church of St. Catherine |
Bronze relief, Church of St. Catherine, Bethlehem |
Church of St. Catherine, Bethlehem |
Chapel of the Innocents, Church of St. Catherine, Bethlehem |
Caves beneath the Church of the Nativity entered through steps in the Church of St Catherine |
Beneath the Church of the Nativity |
Chapel in the caves beneath the Church of the Nativity |
Chapel in the caves beneath the Church of the Nativity |
The study and tomb of St. Jerome (Hieronymus) are in the caves beneath the Church of the Nativity |
St. Jerome is said to have translated the Bible into Latin here |
Olim Locus S. Hieronymi Presbyteri et Ecclesiae Doctoris |
Chapel beneath the Church of the Nativity |
Altar with mosaic depicting St. Paula who is buried in the caves beneath the Church of the Nativity |
Stained glass window in a chapel beneath the Church of the Nativity |
St. Paula (347-404) |
Mosaic of the Holy Family, Cloister of St. Jerome, Church of the Nativity |
Door leading from the Cloister of St. Jerome into the Church of the Nativity proper |
Church of the Nativity |
Ceiling, Church of the Nativity |
Aisle, Church of the Nativity |
Aisle, Church of the Nativity |
Remains of the original 4th Century mosaic floor of Constantine's Church of the Nativity |
Remains of the original 4th Century mosaic floor of Constantine's Church of the Nativity |
Byzantine mosaic of the Incredulity of St. Thomas, Church of the Nativity |
Chandelier, Church of the Nativity |
Painting of St. George on a pillar, Church of the Nativity |
Greek icon of St Menas mounted on a horse |
Orthodox icons, Church of the Nativity |
Greek nativity icon dated 1936 |
Poor Box, Church of the Nativity |
Church of the Nativity |
Ornate icon of Virgin & Child, Church of the Nativity |
Ornate icon of Virgin & Child, Church of the Nativity |
Ornate icon of Virgin & Child, Church of the Nativity |
Silver icon of Virgin & Child, Church of the Nativity |
Entrance to the Grotto of the Nativity, Bethlehem |
Grotto of the Nativity |
The site of the Birth of Christ, Grotto of the Nativity |
Lamps hanging in the Grotto of the Nativity |
The site of the Birth of Christ, Grotto of the Nativity |
Mosaic in the Grotto of the Nativity marking the Jubilaeum year 2000 |
Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem |
Mosque of Omar (1860) Manger Square, Bethlehem |
Mosque of Omar, Bethlehem |
Cards at a shop on Manger Square |
Good souvenir of Bethlehem - manger scene carved of olive wood, a Palestinian speciality |
Manger in a Bethlehem shop |
Large wooden manger scene, Manger Square |
Amazing olive wood carvings at St. John Souvenir, John & Mike Shahen proprietors, Bethlehem |
Painted Nativity Scene, Bethlehem |
Tourist Police, Bethlehem |
Palestinian Authority Tourist Police |
Santa Claus driving a bulldozer constructing the West Bank Separation Barrier |
Bethlehem Post Office - Palestinian National Authority |
Another popular souvenir of Bethlehem - Palestinian keffiya |
Palestinian flag, Bethlehem |
Palestinian flag, Bethlehem |
Steep section of Pope Paul IV St leading to the Syrian Church of St. Mary |
Star Fountain, Pope Paul IV Street at Star Street, Bethlehem |
Syrian Orthodox Church of St. Mary, Bethlehem |
Syrian Orthodox Church of St. Mary, Bethlehem |
Syrian Orthodox Church of St. Mary, Bethlehem |
Syrian Orthodox Church of St. Mary (1922) Bethlehem |
Looking back towards Manger Square with the minaret of the Mosque of Omar |
Boycott Israel poster with Israeli-grown orange as a hand grenade |
Bethlehem |
Yellow flag of al-'Asifah (The Storm) with a Palestinian flag, Bethlehem |
Hamas graffiti, Bethlehem |
Bethlehem - Church of the Nativity (south side) |
Bethlehem - Church of the Nativity (south side) |
The Orthodox Troop - Palestinian Boy Scouts, Bethlehem, founded 1929 |
Milk Grotto Street, Bethlehem |
Milk Grotto Street, Bethlehem |
Milk Grotto Chapel, Bethlehem |
Tiles at the entrance to the Milk Grotto Chapel, Bethlehem |
The Flight to Egypt, Milk Grotto Chapel, Bethlehem |
Milk Grotto Chapel, Bethlehem |
The Milk Grotto, said to enhance female fertility |
Milk Grotto Chapel, Bethlehem |
Milk Grotto Chapel, Bethlehem |
Palestinian Taxi, Bethlehem |
Arabic inscription off Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity |
The Jewish settlement of Har Homa 2 km from Bethlehem |
Incomplete new building with some broken windows, Manger Street, Bethlehem |
Palestine Yellow Pages, Bethlehem |
Palestine Yellow Pages, Bethlehem |
Palestinian National Authority - General Petroleum Corporation |
You can't return to Jerusalem on Bus 21 - you need to go through the Israeli checkpoint at the Separation Wall |
You can take a taxi to the checkpoint, or it's around a 45 minute walk along Manger Street |
Bell tower of the Syrian Orthodox Church rising above Bethlehem |
Church of the Nativity behind some modern buildings |
Bayet Sahur from Manger Street, Bethlehem, late afternoon |
Bethlehem is built on a hill (Church of the Nativity, far upper right) |
Looking towards Shepherd's Field Church outside Bethlehem |
Bethlehem |
Sign for 547 Manger Street, Bethlehem, with a St. George dated 1926 |
Bayt Sahur (Beit Sahour), Palestine |
Har Homa-Homat Shmu'el, a substantial Jewish settlement inside the West Bank near Bethlehem |
No Tank Parking - Tow Away Zone, a little Palestinian humor along Manger Street |
Graffiti - Islamic Resistance Movement - HAMAS |
No Tank Parking - Tow Away Zone |
Arabic-English road sign for Bethlehem University and Jerusalem |
Bethlehem monument "2000 & Beyond" using chain links |
The 3 links represent each of the great monotheistic religions, each connected to the other, Ottovianno Giannangeli |
The sun disappearing behind cloud and hill |
Carving above a doorway with a horse drawn carriage dated 2003 |
Liquor store, Bethlehem |
Separation barrier carved of olive wood with "Free Palestine", Bethlehem |
La Fontana apartment building overlooking the West Bank Separation Wall, Bethlehem |
Bethlehem Souvenir Center near the separation wall checkpoint |