Despite an impressive history, the Basilica of the Nativity is not particularly attractive. The main entrance and windows were blocked up as a safety precaution during medieval times, rendering the facade marked!)’ awkward. To enter you must assume the position and step through the narrow Door of Humility-a remnant of the days when Christians wanted to prevent Muslims from entering on horseback.

Fragments of beautiful mosaic floors are all that remain of Constantine’s original church. View them beneath the huge wooden trap doors in the center of the marble Crusader floor. The four rows of reddish limestone Corinthian columns and the mosaic atoms along the walls date from Justinian’s reconstruction. The oak ceiling was a gift from England’s King Edward IV, while the handsome icons adorning die altar were bequeathed in 1764 by the Russian imperial family.

The Grotto of the Nativity is in an underground sanctuary beneath the church. As you enter the womb-like grotto, notice the crosses etched into the columns on both sides of the doorway. This religious graffiti is the work of pilgrims who have visited here over the centuries. A star bearing the Latin inscription: Hie De Virgine Maria Jesus Christus Natus Est ("Here, of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ was born") marks the spot. The star, added by the Catholics in 1717, was removed by the Greeks in 1847 and restored by the Turkish government in 1853. Silly quarrels over the star supposedly contributed to the outbreak of the Crimean War. (Basilica complex open daily 5:3Oam-8pm; in winter 7am-6pm. Free, although you are encouraged to make a small donation. Modest dress required. For further information call 74 24 25.)