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. 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.
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