Between Mount
Garizim and Mount Ebal lies Nablus (the Uncrowned Queen of Palestine)
63 km north of Jerusalem. The town is located in an area that has
an abundant water supply. Its gardens and fields are irrigated from
16 natural springs. Nablus is considered to be the largest city in
the West Bank outside Jerusalem and has become one of the main Palestinian
centers of industry and commerce with a busy market, soap factories
and goldsmiths, etc. The city is famous for its sweets.
Old Town of
Nablus
The Old Town of Nablus is a large residential and market area featuring
many old buildings and lively street scenes and activities. There
are impressive mosques, souqs, Turkish baths and traditional olive
oil soap factories. It is well worth exploring.
Jacob's Well
The 35 meter deep well stands in the land that Jacob bought from Hanor
for "a hundred pieces of silver" (Genesis 33: 19). It is
also here that Jesus asked a Samaritan woman to draw water for him
to drink. The well has been an object of pilgrimage since then.
Tell Balata
Tell Balata is situated 3 km east of Nablus. The extensive remains
relate to the town that was built around 1700 BC. The city was founded
by the Canaanites and since then it has been destroyed and rebuilt
several times.
Sabastia
12 km northwest of Nablus up on the scenic slopes of the Nablus hills
stands the village of Sabastia. On top of the hill the remains of
an Iron Age city were found. Inside the village lies a Crusader's
Church (12th century), which was converted into a mosque with two
tomb chambers. The head of john the Baptist is believed to be buried
here.
Burqin Church
The village of Burqin is located 3 km west of Jenin. The church lies
on the northern slope of the hill overlooking Wadi Burqin. The church
is still used by the Christian Greek Orthodox community of the village.
Tradition suggests that Jesus, on his way to Jerusalem, passed by
the village and miraculously healed the lepers there.
This delightful small church has been restored several times through
the centuries. The first church was in the cave where the miracle
took place, while during the 6th -9th century it was extended in front
of the cave. The church was then rebuilt during the 12th century and
enclosed by a wall. The present church comprises the cave and the
new hall and nave built during the 18th century .
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