What to see in Nazareth

2024 Author: Graham Hoggarth | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-09 10:26

The pretty old city of Nazareth is located in a hilly area in the north of Israel. Despite the fact that it is inhabited mainly by Arabs, it is the third holy Christian city in this country. It was here that the Annunciation took place - the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel, who announced the Mother of God about the future birth of Jesus Christ. Unsurprisingly, this city is especially popular with pilgrims who know exactly what to see in Nazareth.

The main Christian shrine of Nazareth, of course, is the temple built on the site of the Annunciation. However, Christian historians interpret in different ways exactly where this evangelical event took place. Therefore, there are now two churches dedicated to the Annunciation in the city.

In 1260, Nazareth was recaptured from the crusaders by the Egyptian Sultan Baybars I, and from that moment on the city passed to the Arabs, subsequently becoming part of the Ottoman Empire. In Nazareth, you can now see the monuments of Islamic architecture, including numerous mosques.

The surroundings of Nazareth deserve special attention. Not far from the city, there is a low hill, also featured in the Bible. It is believed that it was from here that the disgruntled residents of the city wanted to throw off the preaching Jesus Christ. Now there is a modern observation deck here. And 10 kilometers from Nazareth, the huge Mount Tabor rises - the place where the Transfiguration of the Lord took place. On its slopes there are two monasteries - Catholic and Orthodox.

The ancient city of Sepphoris (also known as Zipori), the capital of Galilee during antiquity, is also worth a visit. This settlement is an open-air archaeological site, where ancient Roman houses, the ruins of an amphitheater and much more have been preserved. Sepphoris is now Israel's national park.

TOP 10 sights of Nazareth

Basilica of the Annunciation

The famous Basilica of the Annunciation was built above the grotto, where, according to the Catholic tradition, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary. For Catholics and Protestants, this particular temple is the main shrine of Nazareth.

The oldest buildings on this site date back to the 4th-5th centuries. Then the first sanctuary was erected here. A later Romanesque church appeared already during the time of the Crusaders, in 1102, and in the 13th century Franciscan monks settled here.

The Crusaders failed to maintain their power in the Holy Land, and in 1260 Nazareth was recaptured by the Arabs. Hard times began - the temple was destroyed, and persecution began against the monks. But despite this, the Church of the Annunciation was rebuilt and rebuilt several times.

The modern building of the Basilica of the Annunciation was erected in 1969. The building has an amazing concave shape and unusual exterior - it consists of several narrow high windows and is crowned with a thin graceful arcade.

The temple consists of two floors - on the lower level, in the crypt, there is the same sacred grotto where the Annunciation took place. It is believed that it was on this place that the house where the Virgin Mary spent her childhood stood. In the crypt, you can see ancient columns and ancient masonry, preserved from the time of the Crusades.

And the upper church of the Basilica of the Annunciation is distinguished by luxurious decorations. On its walls are mosaics from all over the world depicting the Mother of God with the Child Jesus. Here you can see several stunning copies of the miraculous images of the Virgin Mary and even the exotic "Japanese Madonna".

Orthodox Christians consider another temple to be the sacred place of the Annunciation - the Church of the Archangel Gabril of the 18th century, located 500 meters from the Catholic basilica. There you can also see the well of the Virgin Mary.

Church of the Archangel Gabriel

The Church of the Archangel Gabriel is the main shrine of Orthodox Christians, who believe that it was here that the Annunciation took place, since for the first time an angel appeared to the Mother of God at the well. Now in the crypt - the underground chapel of this church - the ancient Holy Spring has been preserved, attracting thousands of pilgrims - Christians of the Eastern rite.

The first sanctuary on this site appeared during the reign of Emperor Constantine in the 4th century. During the time of the Crusaders, the small chapel was transformed into a luxurious round temple decorated with marble. Unfortunately, this monumental structure was destroyed when Nazareth was recaptured by the Arabs in 1260.

The modern church of the Archangel Gabriel was built in 1750 and completely renovated at the end of the 19th century. The architectural work in both cases was carried out thanks to generous donations from the Russian Empire.

The exterior of the Church of the Archangel Gabriel is rather unusual - you can enter it through a powerful gate, and a small canopy, supported by the finest columns, rises above the entrance to the temple. The dominant feature of the building is a graceful bell tower topped with a red cross.

The upper church of the temple is richly painted with frescoes made according to Byzantine canons in the seventies of the XX century. And in the crypt, ancient Romanesque columns and other ancient architectural elements that previously belonged to previous churches have been preserved. Also in this underground chapel you can see the miraculous icon of the Annunciation at the well. The ceilings of the crypt are skillfully painted in the Byzantine style.

And a hundred meters from the church there is an ancient well, which actually served as the city's main source of water for about a thousand years.

It is worth noting that the Church of the Archangel Gabriel is also known as the Church of the Annunciation, but then there is confusion and the risk of confusing this Orthodox church with the Catholic Basilica of the Annunciation. These buildings are located about 500 meters from each other.

St. Joseph's Church

The Church of St. Joseph forms a single ensemble with the Basilica of the Annunciation. This magnificent temple retains all the architectural elements of the early medieval building, but in fact it was built in the neo-Romanesque style in 1914.

It is worth noting, however, that the first buildings on this site appeared during the Byzantine rule. In the XII century, a crusader temple was built here, destroyed after the conquest of Nazareth by the Arabs. Only in the 18th century, the Franciscan monks were able to redeem this land and rebuild a Christian temple here.

Now the church of St. Joseph is richly furnished, its main decoration is a 19th century canvas depicting the betrothal of Joseph the carpenter and the Virgin Mary. The walls are painted with modern frescoes. And in the underground chapel - the crypt - unique ancient mosaics and even ancient caves, which are two thousand years old, have been preserved.

Mensa Christie Church

The amazing Mensa Christie church also has an unusual name - from Latin Mensa Christie is translated as "Christ's table". It is believed that it was here that Jesus Christ dined with his disciples-apostles after he rose from the dead. And in the church itself there is an ancient relic - a huge stone slab, which served as a kind of refectory table for Jesus and the apostles.

The discovery of this slab in the 17th century was a real event for Christian pilgrims who rushed to Nazareth. Some even tried to break it into small stones to keep as a keepsake. Ultimately, a special Franciscan chapel was built for the "table of Christ", which later grew into a full-fledged temple.

The modern building of Mensa Christie Church dates from 1861. Outwardly, it resembles ancient Romanesque temples - powerful severe walls, decorated only with a tiny figured window. But the interior design contrasts nicely with the austere exterior - the church is gracefully decorated with light paintings.

The location of the Mensa Christie Church is curious - it is located in a residential area of Nazareth and can only be reached through a narrow, steep street. The key to the church is kept in one of the neighboring houses, but it is easy to negotiate with the owner.

White mosque

The pretty White Mosque is located not far from the Christian shrines of Nazareth, including the Basilica of the Annunciation. The outward appearance of this Muslim building is distinguished by soft cream walls and an elegant minaret, in its shape resembling a sharpened pencil. The interior decoration is made in a calm color scheme of green shades.

The White Mosque is the oldest mosque in all of Nazareth. It was built in 1804-1808 by order of the mayor - Sheikh Abdullah. The sheikh himself chose a light color scheme for the building to mark the end of the "dark times" for Nazareth. The grave of the sheikh has been preserved in the courtyard of the White Mosque.

The White Mosque accommodates about three thousand believers and is filled to capacity on holidays. It also serves as a cultural and religious center for all Muslims in Nazareth. Inside the mosque, there is a small but very curious museum of urban history.

Makam El-Nabi Sain Mosque

Thanks to its striking dome, this building is better known as the Golden Mosque. It rises on a hill in the northern part of Nazareth. The name "el-Nabi Sain" is translated from Arabic as "we are going to the prophet."

The building consists of two floors and is designed in a traditional oriental style. The exterior of the mosque is rather austere; among the decorative elements, only the carving and the balustrade on the second floor stand out. The dominant feature of the building is a powerful minaret, which seems to divide the facade of the mosque in half. The most striking feature of the building is the huge golden dome.

The interior design of the mosque is very curious: there are many arcades, thin columns of mosaic decorations, green and gold colors prevail.

The original building of the Makam el-Nabi Sain mosque appeared on this site during the Ottoman Empire, but the modern building dates back to 1989. The minaret was enlarged in 2009 and is now the tallest in all of Nazareth.

There are many Christian churches in the immediate vicinity of the Makam el-Nabi Sain mosque. Nearby, there is a huge neo-Gothic Salesian basilica of the early 20th century, which offers stunning views of Nazareth and its surroundings. And a little further to the west is the amazing Church of the Annunciation, which belongs to the ancient eastern church of the Maronites. This modern structure is made of concrete and is powerful and sharp in shape.

Mount Overthrow

A small green hill, nestled a couple of kilometers from Nazareth, was described in the Bible. It is believed that after the preaching of Jesus Christ, the townspeople were so outraged that they decided to expel him and throw him from the neighboring mountain as punishment.

During archaeological excavations, traces of a monastery of the 8th century, located on the slopes of a hill, were discovered. Fragments of ancient Byzantine ceramics were also found here.

It is curious that again the Catholic and Orthodox traditions diverge in the correctness of the geographical position of the biblical mountain. For Eastern Christians, the Mount of Overthrow is located a little closer to Nazareth, there is even an Orthodox church built there. By the way, Catholics do not dispute the sacred significance of the neighboring mountain, they believe that it was from there that the Mother of God watched the ongoing conflict between the inhabitants of Nazareth and Jesus.

Now, at the top of Mount Overthrow, there is a convenient observation deck, from where stunning views of the valley, the city of Nazareth and another sacred mountain - Tabor, open.

Mount Tabor

High Mount Tabor is also a place of pilgrimage for Christians from all over the world. It is believed that it was here that the Transfiguration of the Lord happened, when Jesus Christ showed his Divine nature and spoke with the Old Testament prophets Moses and Elijah. The height of Mount Tabor is 588 meters. The mountain itself rises about 10 kilometers southeast of Nazareth. This place was mentioned several times in the Bible, and also there were located Jewish fortifications during the Roman rule. The first sanctuaries were built either by Saint Helena in the 4th century, or a little later, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Subsequently, Mount Tabor was chosen by the crusaders, but after the capture of Nazareth by the Arabs, all Christian structures were destroyed.

Now, on two opposite slopes of Mount Tabor, there are Catholic and Orthodox monasteries.

The Orthodox convent of the Transfiguration of the Lord was built back in 1862, while a huge bell tower appeared only in 1911. The architectural work was carried out at the expense of donations from the Russian Empire. The main monastery temple consists of three chapels, one of which is dedicated to the prophets Moses and Elijah and was erected on the site of a medieval church. Ancient stonework and even traces of Byzantine frescoes have been preserved here. The church also houses the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. Also, the monastery complex includes an underground chapel, consecrated in honor of the Old Testament elder Melchizedek.
The Catholic Franciscan monastery occupies a huge territory, where an Arab fortress and more ancient buildings belonging to the Crusaders previously stood. The monastery was built in the twenties of the XX century. Its main temple - the Basilica of the Transfiguration of the Lord - is made according to the canons of Syrian Christian architecture. In its appearance, two powerful towers stand out, connected by an arch with thin columns. The church is richly decorated with gold and mosaics in the Byzantine style, and in the crypt - an underground church where the Transfiguration is believed to have taken place - elements of a Romanesque temple from the era of the Crusades have been preserved.

Sepphoris

The ancient city of Sepphoris is also known by its Hebrew name Tzipori. It is a huge archaeological site right in the open air, located six kilometers from Nazareth. For a long time, Sepphoris served as the capital of Galilee, and now it has been turned into a popular national park.

During the excavations on the territory of Sepphoris, a residential area of the Hellenistic era, dating from the II-I centuries BC, was discovered. The best preserved, however, is a luxurious 3rd century AD Roman villa. You can see the mosaics depicting Dionysus and Aphrodite, nicknamed the Galilean Mona Lisa. A well-preserved and later House of the Nile of the 5th century, also decorated with mosaic floors, telling about the various Egyptian holidays. The synagogue of the 6th century also deserves special attention, in the mosaics of which there are biblical and antique symbols.

Other excavations at Sepphoris include the ruins of a typical Hebrew settlement, an ancient Roman theater, an ancient water supply system with a huge cistern, and about sixty other ancient and Byzantine mosaics.

Another attraction of Sepphoris is the ancient fort, built by the Crusaders in the XII century.

Trail of jesus

The Jesus Trail is a 65-kilometer pilgrimage walking route that begins in Nazareth, not far from the Basilica of the Annunciation. The most popular is the easiest part of this route, which includes a walk through the Old City of Nazareth and a visit to the nearest settlements - the ancient city of Sepphoris and the Arab village of Mashad. The path ends at the famous Cana of Galilee, where the first miracle of Jesus Christ took place - he turned water into wine at a local wedding. Now it houses a splendid Catholic Church of the Wedding, dedicated to this biblical event.

In the future, the Jesus Trail runs through forests and hills, where the road can become quite steep. The visit plan includes traditional Jewish settlements, the ruins of ancient monuments and even an ascent to the Mount of Beatitudes, on the top of which Jesus Christ read his Sermon on the Mount. This route ends in the ancient city of Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.