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St. Nicholas Trail is a walk through the charming old city of Beit Jala. Similar to the characteristics of all the old cores around Palestine, the one in Beit Jala, whose history dates back to the 19th century, boasts old arches, historic buildings, and five splendid quarters, known in Arabic as “harat”: Haret Al Kanees; Haret Al Samaaneh; Haret Al Iraq; Haret Al Deir; and Haret Al Sarrar. All five quarters are located around the church of St. Nicholas, the church of the Patron Saint of the city who is believed to have lived in the cave under the church during the 4th century. During the Ottoman period, the Old Core included three olive presses, of which two were located in Al Kanees Quarter. Most structures in the Old Core are influenced by the Ottoman style of architecture, while some include archaeological ruins that date back to the Byzantine period.
