A flight of stairs leads down to the birthplace grotto crypt, where you will find a tiny, dome-shaped chapel and an altar dedicated to Mary’s birth.

The interior of the basilica depicts a number of Biblical scenes from the New Testament, including the Nativity, the Descent from the Cross, and the presentation of Mary in the Temple .

The acoustics of the church are remarkable and pilgrims will regularly burst into religious song, making for marvelous impromptu music performances .

Completed in 1138, marks the traditional site of the home of the maternal grandparents of Jesus, Anne and Joachim, as well as the birthplace of his mother, Mary.

It looks like a fortress from the outside, due to its strong, sharp lines and thick walls, while it is unusually asymmetrical in that the windows are of different sizes and its columns don't match.

In the 5th century, a Byzantine basilica was built on the shrine’s remains next to the two Pools of Bethesda.

The history dates back to the Roman period when a pagan shrine to the Egyptian god Serapis stood on the grounds .

While the church has been restored over the years, the majority of what remains is still from the original time of construction .

Nothing really fancy about the church . Plain and simple. The highlight is the acoustics within the church . The current padre is very sociable and humorous

One of the best preserved Crusader churches in the capital.

It's open at 14.00

Очень простой, тихий и светлый храм . Особенно когда нет туристов