NAZARETH

The sacred Galilee town of the Annunciation, where Jesus spent much of his youth nestles between rolling hills. Its spiked churches are overshadowed by the charcoal-grey roof of the monumental Basilica of the Annunciation, built over the ruins of churches dating from the 4th century. It is the largest church in the Middle East.

Everywhere there are signs of a burning faith. Churches rise over two places believed to be where the Archangel Gabriel informed Mary of the imminent birth of Jesus. Others shelter the home of the carpenter, Joseph, the well from which Mary drew water, and the mount from where Jesus escaped his angry congregation: ``Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country'' (Luke 4:24).

At the 200-year-old Maronite church in the Latin quarter, mass is said in Arabic and Aramaic.
Nazareth is far more of a city than Bethlehem, but it has the same chasteness.

You can walk through most of the tourist sites in a couple of hours or less, depending on your sensibilities. But a worthwhile tour of the Basilica of the Annunciation takes at least an hour as it is as much a work of art as a house of prayer. As everything is relatively close to the Basilica we advise you to leave your car in the free parking lot on Rehov Casa Nova and walk from there.

However, you will need your car to see Nazrat Illit (Upper Nazareth), unless you take Bus No. 1 or 3 to get there. This new town is on the hills northeast of the old town and is a sterling example of city planners taking aesthetic considerations into account. From a modest beginning with 1,000 settlers in 1957, Nazrat Illit now has a population of more than 34,000. Located 34 km. east of Haifa and 30 km. west of Tiberias, Nazareth overlooks the Jezreel Valley.

Climate: pleasantly cool in summer because it is set in the hills above the valley, and winter is less severe than in Upper Galilee. There are about 58,000 people living in the old city, about half of whom are Moslems and half Christians.

Tourist Information Office: Rehov Casa Nova, opposite parking lot, tel. (06)573003. Fax: (06)575279.