Crib place
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The Manger Square ( Arabic ساحة المهد, DMG Sāḥat al-Mahd ) is a place in the city of Bethlehem in the West Bank .
location
The square is in the old town of Bethlehem. It is named after the manger in which Jesus was placed after his birth and which is venerated in the neighboring Church of the Nativity . Along the north side of the square runs the historic pilgrimage route coming from Sternstrasse , which is part of the world cultural heritage site " Birthplace of Jesus Christ: Church of the Nativity and Pilgrimage, Bethlehem " to the Church of the Nativity .
history
In the time of the Ottoman Empire , the crib square served as a marketplace for food and cattle. In 1929 the market was relocated to another location in Bethlehem's old town. Until 1998, the Krippenplatz was one of the busiest places in the region. In preparation for the jubilee year 2000 and the visit of Pope John Paul II , the square was fundamentally redesigned, a police station previously standing on its north side was demolished and the Bethlehem Peace Center was built in its place. Since then, the space has been secured by bollards to prevent cars from being driven on and serves primarily as a pedestrian zone, but can also be released for use as a parking lot if necessary.
description
The crib square forms a rectangle of about 60 × 80 meters. The east side of the square merges into the approximately 20 × 80 meter forecourt of the Church of the Nativity. To the south of this is the Armenian monastery belonging to the Church of the Nativity. The Bethlehem Peace Center extends along the north side of the square with a tourist information center, exhibition rooms, a library, an auditorium and an archaeological museum. On the west side of the square are the 19th century Omar Mosque and south of it the Bethlehem Town Hall. The south side of the square is occupied by a building belonging to the city administration, which has an arcade with shops on the ground floor . Rows of trees on the edge of the square provide shade, and benches and fountains invite you to linger.
Events
The Christmas celebrations in the Church of the Nativity and the adjacent Katharinenkirche are broadcast on large screens on Kapellenplatz. That is for the Catholics on 24./25. December, for the Orthodox on 6./7. January and for the Armenians on 18./19. January. During the Christmas season there is a large Christmas tree and a nativity scene in the square.
Throughout the year, various social and cultural events and celebrations take place on the crib square, including exhibitions and concerts. The square has been the start and finish point of the annual Palestine Marathon since 2013.
Web links
- Manger Square on the official website of the City of Bethlehem
- The crib place on the Bein Harim Tourism Services website
- Manger Square on the website of the Joint Services Council for Tourism Development in Bethlehem Governorate
Individual evidence
- ↑ UNESCO World Heritage Center: Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem. Maps. In: whc.unesco.org. Retrieved December 13, 2019 .
- ↑ Burghard Bock, Wil Tondok: Palestine . 2nd Edition. Reise Know-How Verlag, Munich 2013, ISBN 978-3-89662-484-0 , p. 222 .
Coordinates: 31 ° 42 ′ 15.4 " N , 35 ° 12 ′ 21.3" E