Battir Ecomuseum
BATTIR LANDSCAPE ECOMUSEUM
Land of Olives and Vines
Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem
Battir is located in a geographically crucial valley, between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, which leads out to the Mediterranean Sea.
It embarrasses a great history from the Romans till today the Palestinians.
It is a home of the only Eco Museum in the country with its wonderful hiking trails. It has a Roman spring, a bath, not forgetting a charming Old Town; with its Seven Widows Quarter.
The railway connecting Jerusalem to the coast can be seen dissecting the valley and it is through this railway that Battir used to supply Jerusalem’s market with mountains of fruits and vegetables. That is why Battir became known as the ‘Basket of Vegetables’ for Jerusalem.
The village is rich for its 4,000-year-old irrigated terraces and an ancient cultural route passing through the agricultural lands used by different communities settled within the area.
The Eco Museum is the central point for tourism in the town, although if you are expecting a run-of-the-mill exhibition, think again. The motto is ‘our museum is under the sky, not a roof’. This means the museum is actually a dynamic project aimed at preserving, interpreting and managing the local community and heritage. They can organize tours for different trails and especially to the one leading to Beit Jala (The City of Saint Nicholas).
Battir and the EcoMuseum is included in the Franciscan Path of Unesco Heritage.
In line with the mission and vision of Battir Landscape Eco Museum.
The project is to promote cultural, religious and naturalistic tourism in Battir through the reinforcement of the Landscape Eco Museum. It is to create a link among all levels of the local community and to promote but also to enhance voluntary help and a greater role for Young Men and Women in the local community. Also our aim is not limited to help but also to become a true community interaction group from the Citizens of Bethlehem.
