Official Language:
Hebrew
Secondary Language:
Arabic
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Currency:
Israeli New Shekel
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Population:
Approximately over 60.000 people call Nazareth home.
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Weather:
Climate and current weather information for Nazareth Israel:
Best time to go israel are March-April (wildflower season) and September-October. The Negev desert forms the southern two-thirds of the country, and summer in the Negev can be too hot to enjoy temperatures above 86°F/30°C. It's possible to see desert sights in the summer if you go sightseeing early in the day. It can get quite wet and cold during the winter (you might even see a white Christmas in Jerusalem or Bethlehem).
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Cruise ships dock at the Port of Ashdod or Haifa. Buses are available to transport you to the Nazareth, town in northern Israel, in lower Galilee, near Haifa. It is on a hill overlooking the Plain of Esdraelon. According to the New Testament, Nazareth was the home of Mary and her husband, Joseph, and the childhood home of Jesus Christ. Christ was later rejected by the town's inhabitants and made Capernaum his headquarters. Contemporary Nazareth, a place of pilgrimage, contains many shrines commemorating its biblical associations, some of them having been rebuilt after destruction by the Muslims during the Middle Ages. Prominent among them are the Church of the Annunciation, the Church of Saint Joseph, and Saint Mary's Well.
Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel, once split nearly evenly between Christians and Muslims, but now nearly two-thirds Muslim. The two groups have lived harmoniously, though a dispute erupted in 1999 over the desire of Muslims to build a mosque near a church. Nazareth was apparently never an important site in Jewish history; it is not mentioned in the Old Testament or rabbinic literature, though Jews certainly lived there in Jesus' time. The first reference is in the New Testament (John 1:45) and, even there, the town is referred to in a negative way ("Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" 1:46)
For Christians, Nazareth is important because it is the place where Jesus spent much of his life. The Church of St. Joseph's Carpentry contains ruins dating to the 1st century, and is revered as the original workshop of Joseph and home of the Holy Family. The site actually was abandoned for many years until Franciscans bought it in 1754 and set up a chapel dedicated to Joseph. The church there today was built above the ruins of a 13th century Crusader church. Nazareth also has several other important churches, the Synagogue-Church, where Jesus preached (Luke 4), Gabriel's Church, which Greek Catholics believe to be the site of the Annunciation and the Mensa Christi ("Table of Christ") Church, where Jesus is said to have dined with his Apostles after his Resurrection. The Basilica of the Annunciation is the place where, according to Christian tradition, the angel Gabriel appeared before Mary, saying: "Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus" (Luke 1:26-35).
The Church, the largest house of Christian worship in the Middle East, has been controlled by the Muslims since Saladin's conquest in 1198. When the Ottoman Turks captured the city in the 16th century, they expelled all the Christians. They were not allowed to return until the reign of the Emir of Lebanon, Fakhr ad-Din II (1590-1635). The present building took nearly a decade to build before being completed in 1969 over the remains of earlier structures dating to the Byzantine period. The Greek Orthodox have their own Church of the Annunciation where they believe Gabriel appeared to Mary. This church was built nearly three centuries ago over the well where Mary is said to have drawn water. When Jesus left Nazareth, he performed his first miracle, changing water into wine at Cana (John 2:11, 4:46), now the Arab village of Kafr Kana, ten minutes up the Tiberias road. The Muslims have built seven mosques in Nazareth, the first and largest, the Peace Mosque, was built in 1963. A dispute arose when Muslims in Nazareth proposed building a mosque next to the Basilica of the Annunciation in 1997. Initially, the Israeli government agreed to allow construction, but the decision was protested by Christian leaders. Ironically, Jews essentially became referees in a five-year religious tug-of-war between Muslims and Christians. In the end, a government committee announced in 2002 that the mosque should not be built.
Jews have also begun to settle in the city. Nazareth Illit (Upper Nazareth) is a relatively new town that has become a popular home for new immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
Mt. Tabor - About six miles southeast of Nazareth stands Mt. Tabor, a dome-shaped mountain rising nearly 2,000 feet above the Jezreel Valley. From the camp at Mt. Tabor around 1150 B.C.E., Deborah and Barak led the armies of Israel in the battle agains Sisera, the Canaanite general (Judges 4:12-16). This was also the site of a thriving Jewish community which constructed a fort there during the Second Temple period. The mountain is holy to Christians who believe it is the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:28-36). During the Byzantine and Crusader eras, several monasteries were build on the mountain, which were subseqently destroyed by Arab conquerors. The Basilica of the Transfiguration was built in the 1920s over the ruins of older churches. The Greek Orthodox Church of Elias is also on the summit. The sometimes windswept peak affords a spectacular view of the valley and, on a clear day, it is possible to see the Mediterranean, the Sea of Galilee and Mount Hermon.
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The site of the Miracle of the Annunciation, is the largest Arab city in Israel with a population of 60,000 - half Christians and half Moslems - living together in harmonious coexistence. Its geographic location, with Cana of the Wedding Feast and Sepphoris (Tzippori) just next door, make it a perfect base from which to tour the rest of the Lower Galilee. Picturesque red roofs and white snow churches ramble haphazardly down the slopes of this ancient Galilean hillside, the summit of which overlooks the entire Jezreel Valley. Nazareth, one of the most important Christian holy sites in the world, has always attracted pilgrims. Nazareth"In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee." (Luke 1:26). Walk through the streets of Jesus’ hometown as you visit.
Mary’s Well:
Mary's Well is one of the most authentic sites in the Holy Land. This spring is the only natural water supply for Nazareth. There is no doubt that Jesus, with his mother, came here to draw water.
The Church of St. Gabriel:
Mary's Well is one of the most authentic sites in the Holy Land. This spring is the only natural water supply for Nazareth. There is no doubt that Jesus, with his mother, came here to draw water.
The Annunciation Basilica:
In Cana - A view of Nazareth is dominated by the Basilica of the Annunciation, designed by the Italian architect Muzio. The Franciscan church dating 1730 was destroyed in 1955 in order to allow for extensive excavation and the building of the new basilica. The building was completed in 1969. Muzio's plan conceived of two interconnected churches, one above the other. He preserved the remains of the ancient churches in full, by enclosing and thus protecting the lower church. The outer walls of the lower church follows the lines of the Crusaders' Basilica, with the exception of the movement of the west wall by a few yards to separate the building from the busy main road. The old Crusader church was razed to the ground by Baybar in 1263. Only its north wall survived. The Byzantine remains are preserved in an octagon, one level lower than the Crusader church. It's mosaics were found to be marvelously well preserved.
Together, the two churches are 80 feet high and 130 feet long. Statues illustrating the Incarnation and the Annunciation decorate the western and southern facades. The dome is 170 feet high; it is covered with copper and topped with a lantern. The Grotto of the Annunciation sits at what was the extreme southern end of the ancient city of Nazareth. This grotto is revered as the site of the Annunciation.
Cana:
Modern day Cana lies four miles from Nazareth, on the way to Tiberias. Two churches are built in Cana to commemorate the first miracle. Both rest on top of Byzantine ruins. There are several locations that claim to be the Cana of the New Testament. It is unknown which site is authentic.
Visit the site of the first miracle, Climb majestic Mount Tabor:
Mount Tabor rises abruptly 1,970 feet from the fertile valley of Jezreel. It is believed to be the Mount of Transfiguration, where Jesus was transfigured and spoke with Moses and Elijah. The summit holds two churches built to revere this event. The Franciscan Church of the Transfiguration was built in 1924. The ruins on this 1,300 yard long and 450 yard wide summit include Byzantine and Crusader basilicas and a 13th century fortress wall. From the summit, there is a splendid view of the entire region.
Valley of Jezreel:
The southern side of Mount Tabor offers a panoramic view of the Valley of Jezreel, a vast and fertile plain which is bordered by Mount Carmel on the south and by Mount Tabor, Mount Hamor and Mount Gilboa on the north. Irrigation is provided by a canal from the Sea of Galilee. The Valley of Jezreel has been the scene of numerous battles throughout history. Great generals who brought their armies to fight in this Valley include Thutmose III, Allenby, Alexander the Great and Napoleon.
Grotto of the Virgin:
This site is beleived to be the place where the Angel announced to theVirgin Mary that she was to become a mother. At the Basilica of the Annunciation.
Joseph's Workshop:
The supposed location of St. Joseph's carpenter shop.At the church of St Joseph's
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More Information |
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Useful Links About Nazareth:
official site of the municipality of Nazareth
Israel Travel
Israeli Tourisim and Recreation
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