Cremisan Monastery
Cremisan monastery is on the border between
Beit Jala and Jerusalem, with the main building officially in Jerusalem
and the storeroom on the other side of the parking lot in Beit Jala. The
monastery can be reached through a long winding road from the city of Beit
Jala. The road leading to the monastery reflects a clear image of the political
situation of the times: on the left hand side there are Palestinian houses,
some of them modern-looking others more ancient and some of them shabby,
while on the right hand side rise the modern apartment houses of Gilo,
the Israeli settlement bor- dering Beit Jala. 
As you enter Cremisan, the outside world is
immediately forgotten and the visitor is lost to the natural beauty of
the place and serenity which characterizes it. For the 37 theological students
from around the world, including Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt, who study there
along with a dozen or so teachers, Cremisan is an island of tranquility.
The main monastery building which dates from the last century has stone
floors and high arched ceilings. The walls are several meters thick. Prominently
pictured on walls throughout are Pope John Paul II and Don Bosco, founder
of the Salesian order to which the monastery belongs. The main attraction
for the regular visitor is the wine cellar and adjoining shop which is
located a few hundred meters beyond the monastery building.
The wine production of the monastery is a
modest 700,000 liters a year. The grapes come from the order's own vineyards
and Beit Jammal and Rifaat as well as from Beit Jala and Hebron areas.
Only 2% of the grapes come from the vineyards at Cremisan. The wine cellar
with its high arched ceilings is full of casks of aging wine and brandy.
Prices range from NIS 12 - 24 for the Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine shop
is open daily except Sunday, from 08:00 - 12:00 and 13:30 - 16:30. Organized
groups are welcome to picnic in the extensive green areas surrounding the
monastery provided they make advance arrangements.
Tel: (02) 2742605, fax (02) 2744827
The Armenian Quarter of the Old City
The Armenian Quarter is the smallest quarter
of the Old City. It occupies the southwestern side of the city and is dominated
by the great compound of the Armenian monastery and the Citadel with its
minaret and towers. The Armenian compound is in fact a city within a city.
It has its own schools, library, seminary, and residential quarters, all
arranged around the 12th century Orthodox Cathedral of St. James, just
south of the citadel. Much of the quarter, and especially the area of the
citadel, was once occupied by the palace of Herod the Great. The Citadel
is known today as the "Tower of David", an identification that was given
to the site by the Byzantines.
The fortifications of the Citadel were built by the Mamluks during the 14t century. Suleiman the Magnificent contributed the monu mental entrance and the platform for cannons. The minaret was built in 1655. The Citadel now contains the city museum on the history of Jerusalem: a multi-screen show as well as a sound and light show can be seen there. The Armenian quarter can be reached from the Jaffa Gate. The small Armenian community of the Old City boasts an extensive and exquisite array of ceramics and pottery which can be found in many shops in that Quarter. Furthermore, restaurants offering Armenian pizza and other specialties are abundant, with a homely atmosphere and excellent food.