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Nablus is a city in Palestine about 50 kilometers north of Jerusalem. It’s an important Palestinian cultural and commercial center and includes several important historic sites.
Introduction to Nablus
Nablus was originally founded as Flavia Neapolis (Νεάπολις) by Roman Emperor Vespasian in 72 AD. We visited on a guided tour from Jerusalem through Abraham Tours. The tour, which also included Jenin, is not currently offered (as of May 2024).
Old City of Nablus
The highlight of our trip to Nablus was a walk through the Old City. It sits at the center of the city and contains several historic landmarks.
Martyrs’ Square
Our first stop was the bustling Martyrs’ Square, where we parked the bus and walked to the souq.
Souq in Nablus
We followed our guide through the souq, past fruit and vegetable stands, butcher shops, clothing shops, and more. Some members of the group stopped to buy some fruits and chat with the friendly shopkeepers.
We walked to a street with several spice shops and popped into one of them. The owners pointed out some of the important spices they sell.
Al-Hanbali Mosque
Next, we stopped outside the al-Hanbali Mosque. It was built by the Hanbali family between 1526 and 1527. Peeking into the mosque, I was able to see the ancient stone pillars and column capitals used in its construction. They date back to the Byzantine period and possibly the Roman period. The Hanbali family still administer the mosque’s affairs.
Al-Shifa Hamam
We continued through the souq until we reached the open-air streets of the Old City. Walking through the streets, we then passed the al-Shifa Hamam, which is a Turkish bath built in 1624 by the Tuqan family.
Abu Harbi Ayesh
Turning down one of the side streets, our guide took us to a local halva shop, Abu Harbi Ayesh, which has been around since 1860. The owner gave us a quick demonstration about how his halva is made as well as some small samples. We made sure to buy some to take home!
An-Nabulsi Soap Factory
Next, we visited the an-Nabulsi Soap Factory. Nabulsi soap is produced only in Nablus and has been an important industry since the 14th century. By 1907, there were 30 factories producing over 5,000 tons of soap annually. Now, there are only a handful remaining.
The manager of the factory gave us a quick lecture on how the soap is made, and we were then able to buy some soap for ourselves. The recipe for Nabulsi soap includes olive oil, water, and an alkaline sodium compound.
Ottoman Palace
A few steps away is the main square of the Old City. On the south end of the square is the Ottoman Palace, which housed the Ottoman government offices during their rule.
Manara Clock Tower
In the center of the square is the Manara Clock Tower, which stands five stories high. It was built in 1906 by Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of his ascension to the throne.
An-Nasr Mosque
Next to the clock tower, on the west side of the square, is the an-Nasr Mosque. It was built on the site of a Byzantine church. During the Crusader period, the Knights Templar built another smaller church with a red dome on the site. When the Crusaders lost Nablus to Saladin in 1187, the church was converted to a mosque.
The an-Nasr Mosque was destroyed by an earthquake in 1927. It was rebuilt in 1935 with a completely different structural design.
Khan al-Tujjar
From the square, we took a quick walk through Khan al-Tujjar, a 15th century caravanserai. During the Ottoman period, from the 16th to 19th centuries, it was the most expensive strip of commercial real estate in Nablus. The caravanserai is regarded as the finest of its kind in the region.
Great Mosque of Nablus
Near Khan al-Tujjar is the Great Mosque of Nablus, which our guide didn’t point out. It was originally a Byzantine church that was converted to a mosque during the early Islamic period. The Crusaders reconsecrated it as a church in the 12th century, and it was converted to a mosque once again in 1187 under Saladin.
The Great Mosque of Nablus was burned down by the Knights Templar during the Sack of Nablus on October 30, 1242. It was rebuilt by the end of the 13th century. The dome and minaret were destroyed during the earthquake in 1927 and restored in 1935.
Gold Shops
On our way back to the bus, the guide took us down a street full of strictly gold and jewelry shops. We admired some of the work along the way. When we reached the bus, we started our drive to Jenin.
Tell Balata
Tell Balata is an archaeological site on the east side of Nablus. It identifies with the Canaanite town of Shechem, dating back to the 2nd century BC.
The first settlement on the site dates back to 3500 BC. Shechem was then established around 1900 BC as a small village that was fortified by 1650 BC. In its final years, Shechem was a Samaritan settlement. It was destroyed in 128 or 107 BC and abandoned around 100 BC.
The site was first excavated by German archaeologist Ernst Sellin from 1913 to 1914. Sellin continued work from 1926 to 1934. Under Jordanian rule, American archaeologists carried out excavations between 1956 and 1967. Since 2011, Tell Balata has been funded by the government of the Netherlands and is run jointly by a Palestinian-Dutch team.
Visiting Tell Balata
Tell Balata is open daily. Adult admission is ₪10 (as of March 2023), which includes entry to a small museum. We were also able to watch a short film about the history of the site. I highly recommend watching the film because you’ll get a better understanding of Tell Balata. The archaeological site doesn’t contain much information.
Archaeological Site
After watching the film, we walked along the city wall to the North West Gate, where we entered the archaeological site.
From there, we viewed the West Wing, Fortress Temple, and Sacred Courtyards. There were also great views of the neighborhood of Balata, which surrounds the site. Balata was once its own village but was annexed by Nablus when the city was under Jordanian rule.
We then took a few minutes to wander around the site, although we weren’t too sure what we were looking at.
Monastery of Jacob’s Well
The Monastery of Jacob’s Well is located near Tell Balata in Nablus. It’s administered by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
According to Christian tradition, the Monastery of Jacob’s Well is the site of the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman (John 4:7-15). Jesus rested there on his way to Jerusalem from Galilee. The well has existed since pre-Christian times and is associated with Jacob, a Patriarch of the Israelites.
History of the Monastery of Jacob’s Well
The first church existed on the site around 384, but it was destroyed by the Samaritans in either 484 or 529. Byzantine Emperor Justinian I rebuilt the church, which stood until the 7th century. The Crusaders built another church in 1175, but it was destroyed shortly after Saladin, who defeated them in the Battle of Hattin in 1187. The well was still intact, and Christians continued to visit the site even without a church.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem purchased the site in 1860. They founded the Monastery of Jacob’s Well and constructed the Church of St. Photini the Samaritan in 1893. The church was destroyed during an earthquake in 1927.
On November 29, 1979, the head of the Monastery of Jacob’s Well, Archimandrite Philoumenos (1913-1979), was murdered on the grounds. Asher Raby, a mentally ill and newly religious Jew from Tel Aviv, attacked the priest with an axe. He then threw a hand grenade that exploded and killed him. Philoumenos was canonized as a saint on September 11, 2009. A mosaic depicting St. Philoumenos sits on the church to the right of the doors.
A mosaic of Father Ioustinos, who replaced Archimandrite Philoumenos as the head of the Monastery of Jacob’s Well, is to the left of the doors.
Church of St. Photini
The current Church of St. Photini was built in the 2010s by Father Ioustinos, a Greek Orthodox priest. He modeled it along the designs of the Crusader-era church. Father Ioustinos also made all of the mosaics and iconography in the church.
Jacob’s Well
Jacob’s Well is located in the crypt underneath the church. There are two staircases directly underneath the dome that lead down to the well.
Mount Gerizim
Mount Gerizim is a mountain on the outskirts of Nablus. Its highlight is the Samaritan village of Kiryat Luza. The Samaritans regard Mount Gerizim as the first piece of land ever created. They believe it was chosen by God as the location for the holy temple rather than the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Half of the worldwide population of Samaritans live in the small village of Kiryat Luza, and Mount Gerizim is central to their religion.
Archaeological Site
We pulled up to a path leading to the top of the mountain where there’s an archaeological site. Unfortunately, the site was closed for a holiday, but we were able to see some of the ruins from the gate. The summit of Mount Gerizim is a national park run by Israel. Adult admission is ₪22 (as of May 2024) and it’s open daily except Saturday.
The ruins include foundations from an ancient Samaritan city and temple dating back to the 5th or 6th century BC. The city was destroyed in the 2nd century BC by John Hyrcanus. There’s also the ruins of an octagonal church built in 484 by Roman Emperor Zeno. In 533, Justinian I built a castle around the church to protect it.
Walking down from the top of the mountain, we got some great views of Nablus in the distance.
Samaritan Sites
Also in the village is a Samaritan Passover sacrifice site, visitor center, and a museum. The Samaritan Museum is open daily except Saturdays and guided tours cost ₪25 (as of May 2023). The museum teaches about Samaritan culture, religion, and traditions. A guide can answer any questions about Samaritanism or Mount Gerizim. We weren’t able to visit any of these places because they were closed during our visit.
Kanafeh Stop
On our guided tour to Nablus, the guide stopped at Aker Sweets for us to sample his favorite Nabulsi kanafeh. Aker Sweets is in the town of Huwara, which is about 6 kilometers (4 miles) south of Nablus.
Kanafeh, also spelled knafeh or kunafa, is a delicious Middle Eastern dessert. The most popular version originated in the Palestinian city of Nablus. Another version of the dessert includes künefe in Turkey, which is especially popular in the Hatay region.
There was a huge selection of desserts behind the counter and all of them looked delicious, but we were there for the kanafeh. We ordered a couple portions and sat down to give it a try. It didn’t disappoint!
The Nabulsi version the dessert is made with Nabulsi cheese and covered with a semolina dough soaked in a sweet syrup. It’s often topped with crushed pistachios. The main ingredient, Nabulsi cheese, also originates in Nablus. It’s a white brine cheese made primarily of sheep’s milk.
Everyone in our group had an opportunity to try some of the other desserts available, including baklava. We were full from the kanafeh so we passed on anything else.
