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Cremisan Monastery was built in 1885 in the Cremisan valley, five kilometers from Bethlehem, over the ruins of a 7th century Byzantine monastery. The Monastery, the Winery and the Convent nearby are affiliated to the order of the Salesians, founded by Don Bosco, an untiring missionary from Turin, Italy, who spread his work all over the world It all started in Bethlehem with Father Antonio Belloni, who catered to the needs of the orphans in Bethlehem and Beit Jala and founded the first orphanage in Bethlehem in 1864. Located in the fertile valley of Cremisan, overlooking Bethlehem and Beit Jala, the Monastery houses a Winery, which gives it its reputation among locals and tourists, and a seminary to prepare young men from all over the world to the priesthood. The surrounding agricultural lands and magnificent terraces are a main attraction for locals and tourists alike and the perfect place for picnics and excursions. The vineyards supply the winery that produces some of the finest wines in Palestine and the olive groves provide the oil for which Beit Jala has become famous. The winery, which continues to be run by Italian resident monks, was a good source of income for maintaining and developing the monastery, as well us generating jobs for locals.
