The Mar Saba Monastery, Bethlehem is a major tourist attraction of Bethlehem which attracts the tourists from all across the globe. The monastery has earned quiet a reputation among the tourists for its amazing beauty and the surrounding that makes it a perfect place to relax. The place is popularly known as the Greek Orthodox monastery of Mar Saba or at times Saint Saba's Monastery. The place is flocked by tourists in large numbers making it one of the famed tourist attractions in Bethlehem. The monastery is located at a distance of 14.5 km east of the city of Bethlehem and the famous St. Theodosius is located at a distance of 6 kilometers.
The Mar Saba Monastery, Bethlehem is regarded as the oldest and in practice inhabited monastery in the Holy land of Bethlehem. As a matter of fact Mar Saba Monastery in Bethlehem is among the oldest inhabited monasteries in the world as well. The famed monastery was founded by Saint Saba of Cappadocia in the year 439 AD.
The spectacular marvel was built which offered the splendid view of the Kidron River. The glimpse of the grandeur of the view is best enjoyed from the griddle of walls and towers of the landmark. The stretch of the view gets a shock when it ends up at the middle of the desert land.
The life at the Mar Saba Monastery, Bethlehem offers an amazing insight into the unchanged lifestyle of inhabitants from the time of Constantine. The original version of the monastery serves with the 110 cells that have sheltered around 4000 monks during the 7th century. The present day monastery is home to only 10 monks.
One of the ironies of the place is that the place is still out of bounds for the female visitors as a part of the tradition of the place. The Mar Saba Monastery, Bethlehem has been the home to rich traditions imbibed in the local culture and it never allows women to enter the place to this day. The female visitors have to suffice with a glimpse of the chapel and the nearby two-storey tower lying on the right hand side of the monastery entrance.
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