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Bethlehem:
Bethlehem (West Bank) (Hebrew and Aramaic for "house of bread"), town in the West Bank, near Jerusalem. Occupied by Israel from 1967, the town was transferred to Palestinian rule, as part of the Middle East peace process, at the end of 1995. The town is specified in the Bible as the birthplace of both David (king of Judah and Israel) and Jesus Christ. The city is nestled in attractive hill country 1OKm south of Jerusalem. It has a population of over 22,000, half Moslem and half Christian. It is surrounded by green and fertile fields planted with vine and olive trees. The town became a place of pilgrimage early in the second century AD, and today, in the modem age of tourism, Bethlehem has become the star of destinations for international visitors from all parts ofthe world. The historic and religious diversity of this ancient Palestinian town is apparent everywhere. Its architecture is characterized by cultural diversity and dominated by mosques and churches, a symbol of the intermingling of the region's people. The Arabic name of the city means 'house of meat' and in Hebrew 'house of bread'.
Bethlehem contains one of the oldest churches in the world, the Church of the Nativity, built by Constantine the Great, emperor of Rome, in 330 on the traditional site of the Nativity. Despite rebuilding by the Roman Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century, much of the original church still stands, and the shrine is constantly visited by pilgrims from all branches of Christendom. Originally, the Nativity Church had three entrances. Two of them are bricked up now. The one door remaining open is called the Door of Humility, it is only 120 cm high, too small and out of scale with the importance of the church. This was the main door of Justinian's church, which was once a grand door, more than 3m high. One can still see traces of the original arch above the door (see below).
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