Three kilometers south of Bethlehem is the village of Al Khader, traditionally famous for its stone-quarries and the church of St. George, a popular center of pilgrimage. The church was established in AD 1600, the present church was built in 1912. Celebrations for the feast of St. George take place in the church on May 5th each year.
Beit Jala
Two
kilometers west of Bethlehem is another Palestinian village worth visiting.
Beit Jala enjoys a reputation as a summer resort and it is also famous
for its delicious apricots, the distinctive brocaded dresses worn by the
women, and for its expert stone masons. There are four churches here, the
most attractive being the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas with its
square tower and glittering silver dome. The view from the summit at the
top of the hill is spectacular, with a great part of Jerusalem visible.From
here a road descends to the Monastery of Cremisan, renowned for the wine
produced by the Salesian monks, who also run a farm. The monastery houses
a high school and an impressive library.
This market can be reached through the Qattanin gate in the western wall of the Haram ash Sharif. It was one of several new markets added to Jerusalem during the Mamluk period. Built in 1336-37, the souq was meant to be a commercial center for Sultan Al Nasir Mohammad and Emir Tankiz al Nasiri, the Mamluk governor of Damascus at the time (1312 - 1340). With monumental entrances, shops, and living quarters, the market contains two public bathhouses (hammam) and a khan (inn). By the nineteenth century, the market fell into decay. It was partlyrestored by the Islamic Waqf and reopened in 1974. Currently, the inn and the two Hammams (bathhouses) are undergoing renovation.