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History
Old
City
Camps
Quarters
Occupation
Maps
Pictures
Places To Visit
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Places
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- Old Town of Nablus
This remarkable old town in the city center is a bustling
market, or Souq, with impressive mosques, Turkish baths, and
traditional soap factories. Its architecture rivals that of
Jerusalem. The Great Mosque, al-Kabir, is on the eastern edge
of the Old Town of Nablus. West of the Great Mosque lies al-
Shifa Turkish bath. Built around 1840, it is the oldest
operating Turkish bath in Palestine.
- Jacob’s Well
Located 1.6km south of Nablus, Jacob's Well is where Jesus met
the Samaritan woman who offered Him a drink of water. Jacob
dug the well for himself, his children, and his flock on a
plot of land he bought upon his return from Mesopotamia. The
Crusaders restored it over the well. Today, it stands within
the walled complex of the Greek Orthodox Monastery
- Tell Balata
Located 3km east of Nablus, Tell Balata, or Shechem, was one
of the earliest and most powerful Canaanite cities. Destroyed
and rebuilt several times, the ruins of this ancient city
occupy a hill rising 525m above sea level. A fortress temple
on the summit of the hill is the largest and most impressive
surviving Canaanite temple in Palestine. Other visible ruins
include two monumental gates, massive city walls, and a
governor's palace with a small private temple, guardrooms, an
assembly, living quarters, and a kitchen.
- Sebastia (Samaria)
The ancient royal city of Sebastia, or Samaria, is one of the
largest archeological sites in Palestine. Located 12km
northwest of Nablus, the ruins of ancient Sebastia extend on a
hill overlooking the present village of Sebastia. Excavations
at Sebastia indicate that it was first inhabited during the
Chalcolithic period in 4000 BC. It did not gain political
importance, however, until King Omri built his royal city
there and named it Samaria. The visible remains at ancient
Sebastia include Roman tombs, a Hellenistic tower, a Severan
basilica, and Herodian gate towers at the entrance of a
colonnaded street with 600 columns on both sides. According to
religious tradition, the head of John the Baptist was found in
Sebastia and a Crusader church, later converted to a mosque,
was built in his honor.
- Burqin Church (St.
John's)
Located 3km west of Jenin, the village of Burqin contains the
ruins of a Byzantine church and the cave where lepers who were
healed by Jesus once lived. The church has been restored
several times and is still being used by the village's
Christian Greek Orthodox community. It is composed of the
leper cave and an 18th century hall and nave. Tradition
suggests that on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed by the
village and miraculously healed the lepers.
- Mt. Gerzim
Standing at 881m above sea level, Mt. Gerzim offers a
magnificent panoramic view of Nablus and the surrounding area.
Ancient ruins at the summit include an octagonal church built
by Zeno in the fifth century, and the remains of a mosque and
a castle dating back to the time of Salah ad-Din. A small
Samaritan community, inhabiting the plateau below the summit
for the past 2500 years, holds Mt. Gerzim as sacred. Believing
that Mt. Gerzim fitted Abraham's description better than Mt.
Moriah, the Samaritans built a rival temple to the one in
Jerusalem. Though the temple has long been destroyed, the
Samaritans still point out a rock that they believe is the
place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac.
- Joseph's Tomb
A little to the north of Jacob's Well is the traditional site
of Joseph's tomb, an Ottoman building with a white dome marks
the site
- Tell Balata (Shechem)
Located 3km east of Nablus, Tell Balata, or Shechem, was one
of the earliest and most powerful Canaanite cities. Destroyed
and rebuilt several times, the ruins of this ancient city
occupy a hill rising 525m above sea level. A fortress temple
on the summit of the hill is the largest and most impressive
surviving Canaanite temple in Palestine. Other visible ruins
include two monumental gates, massive city walls, and a
governor's palace with a small private temple, guardrooms, an
assembly, living quarters, and a kitchen.
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