Birthplace of Jesus Christ: Church of the Nativity and Pilgrimage, Bethlehem

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Birthplace of Jesus Christ: Church of the Nativity and Pilgrimage, Bethlehem
UNESCO world heritage UNESCO World Heritage Emblem
Bethlehem (2) (7508441064) .jpg
Facade of the Church of the Nativity
National territory: Palastina autonomous areasPalestine Palestine
Type: Culture
Criteria : (iv) (vi)
Surface: 2.98 hectares
Buffer zone: 23.45 hectares
Reference No .: 1433
History of enrollment
Enrollment: 2012  (session 36)
Red list : 2012-2019

Birthplace of Jesus Christ: the Nativity and pilgrimage, Bethlehem is one of the UNESCO -listed site of world cultural heritage in the Palestinian Territories . It includes the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the historic pilgrimage route that leads to it from the north of the old town.

background

According to the New Testament , Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem . Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena had a five-aisled basilica built over the grotto , which was venerated as the birthplace of Jesus . In place of the Constantinian basilica, the church of the Nativity , which is essentially still in existence today, was built in the late 5th or early 6th century , which is considered the oldest Christian church in daily use. It was thoroughly restored in the 12th century by the Crusaders and from 1670 by the Greek Orthodox Church . Since the early Middle Ages, more and more ecclesiastical buildings have been built around or attached to the church, including the Catholic Katharinenkirche and several monasteries. These structures form an architectural ensemble that is administered and used by the Greek Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church .

The Church of the Nativity became a destination for pilgrimages . The pilgrims often followed the path that Joseph and Mary are said to have taken on their journey to Bethlehem. Coming from the north, coming from the direction of Jerusalem, it leads up the hill on which the old town of Bethlehem is built, through the Al-Zarara gate into the formerly walled part of Bethlehem and in the arch to the Church of the Nativity in the southeast of the old town. The processions with the patriarchs of the three churches that have shares in the Church of the Nativity still follow this path today at the celebration of their respective Christmas (for the Catholics on December 24th / 25th, for the Orthodox on January 6th / 7th and for the Armenians on January 18-19).

enrollment

Central nave of the Church of the Nativity
Altar above the birthplace of Jesus
Sternstrasse, part of the pilgrimage route

The Palestinian Autonomous Territories ratified the World Heritage Convention in 2011. In 2012, the Church of the Nativity, together with the pilgrimage route leading to it, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the first World Heritage Sites in the Palestinian Autonomous Regions based on a resolution of the World Heritage Committee at its 36th session.

The entry was made on the basis of criteria (iv) and (vi).

“ (Iv): The Church of the Nativity is an outstanding example of an early church in a remarkable architectural ensemble that illustrates two significant stages in human history: in the 4th to 6th centuries AD, the conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity, which led to the Development of the Church of the Nativity in the place believed to be associated with the birth of Jesus and, during the Crusades, the power and influence of Christianity that led to the beautification of the Church of the Nativity and the development of three great monasteries in their environment. "

“ (Vi): The Church of the Nativity and the pilgrimage to it are directly linked to the birth of Jesus through the buildings erected in the 4th century AD and rebuilt in the 6th century AD, an event of outstanding importance universal meaning. You are a powerful symbol for more than 2 billion Christian believers in the world; and they are sacred to both Christians and Muslims. "

scope

The world heritage site includes the building complex from the Church of the Nativity ( Lage ) with its extensions (including the Katharinenkirche with its cloister and the convents of the Franciscans , the Greek Orthodox and the Armenians), the gardens adjoining it to the east and the approximately 700 meters long to the west Pilgrimage.

This begins west of the historic David Fountain at the roundabout of the Catholic Action ( Lage ) outside the medieval city walls. From there it curves first to the south and then to the east along Sternstrasse ( Lage ). He passes the Mother of God Church ( Lage ) and the Al-Zarara Gate ( Lage ). At the end of Sternstrasse, the pilgrimage route turns into Paul-VI.-Strasse ( Lage ) and runs along the north side of the Krippenplatz ( Lage ) to the forecourt of the Church of the Nativity ( Lage ).

The protected area of ​​the world heritage site has an area of ​​about 2.98 hectares . It is surrounded by an approximately 23.45 hectare buffer zone, which essentially includes the historic old town of Bethlehem.

Danger

When it was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2012, the Church of the Nativity was also included on the Red List of World Heritage in Danger. The leaky roof had caused water damage in the church.

In 2019 the Church of the Nativity was removed from the Red List at the 43rd meeting of the World Heritage Committee. The committee praised the high quality of the work on the Church of the Nativity, the restoration of the roof, the external facades, the mosaics and the doors.

literature

  • State of Palestine - Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, (Ed.): Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route . World Heritage Site Nomination Document. 2011 (English, unesco.org [PDF; 49.3 MB ]).

Web links

Commons : Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Official designations English Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem , French Lieu de naissance de Jésus: l'église de la Nativité et la route de pèlerinage, Bethléem , German translation according to the World Heritage List. In: www.unesco.de. German UNESCO Commission, accessed on December 16, 2019 .
  2. ^ A b c Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem. In: whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Center, accessed December 16, 2019 .
  3. ↑ Palestinian Territories. In: whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Center, accessed December 21, 2019 .
  4. ↑ Decision: 36 COM 8B.5. In: whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Center, 2012, accessed December 22, 2019 .
  5. ↑ Decision: 36 COM 8C.1. In: whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Center, 2012, accessed December 22, 2019 .
  6. ^ Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route in Bethlehem, Palestine, inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List along with sites from Israel, Palau, Indonesia and Morocco. In: whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Center, July 2, 2019, accessed December 22, 2019 .
  7. ↑ Decision: 43 COM 7A.28. In: whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Center, 2019, accessed December 22, 2019 .
  8. ^ The site of the Birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem (Palestine) removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger. In: whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Center, June 29, 2012, accessed December 22, 2019 .