No words to express the feeling, I am not religious but this places has different energy, you feel grateful with the opportunity to be there
Church of the Nativity
Photo: Church of the Nativity
The Church of the Nativity is one of the holiest sites in Christian tradition, which holds that the church was built on top of the cave where Jesus of Nazareth was born. The church was first built under the auspices of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great in 135 AD and has been refurbished and added to numerous times since. Inside the church, you can visit the Milk Grotto, which is said to be the actual cave where Mary gave birth to Jesus.
The church is a popular tourist destination year-round and the site of a particularly festive celebration on Christmas, when masses of people from all over the world gather inside and outside the church for services that are shown on a large screen in Manger Square.
The site is also holy to Muslims, who consider Jesus one of the prophets of Allah, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
TripAdvisor Reviews
Based on 2363 traveler reviews"No words to express..."
"Humbling,"
Half day tour to Bethlehem from Jerusalem was amazing. Church of the Nativity was an amazing experience and hard to actually put into words especially for Christians. A visit not to be missed. This is the oldest church in the world, that is actually still being used as a church.
"Unique"
We visited in late November and there were queues to see the birthplace of Jesus. The site of the nativity is essentially a crypt of the Church of the Nativity. The problem is that large numbers are funnelled to a single stone staircase which is quite tricky to negotiate. There is also a...
MoreWe visited in late November and there were queues to see the birthplace of Jesus. The site of the nativity is essentially a crypt of the Church of the Nativity. The problem is that large numbers are funnelled to a single stone staircase which is quite tricky to negotiate. There is also a lot of shoving so be prepared. When you get to the grotto there is a star representing where Jesus was born and you may be able to touch this before you are ushered out. This is the reason so many visit Bethlehem which is perhaps the most important Christian site. Five stars for spirituality - 3 stars for overall experience.
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