Al-Bireh Church
The church, known as Saint Mary's Parish Church, the Church of the Holy Family, or the Church of the Visitation, is located in the center of Al-Bireh, just north of Al-Omari Mosque. The southern wall of the church is adjacent to the northern wall of the mosque. Historical records mention the Church of Al-Bireh in September 1128 AD, when Al-Bireh and its surrounding villages were under the Church of the Holy Sepulchre's jurisdiction. In 1172 AD, German pilgrim Theodoric noted that the Al-Bireh Church was dedicated to St. Mary. After Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi recaptured Al-Bireh from the Crusaders in 1195 AD, the church was likely converted into a mosque. By the fourteenth century AD, it was widely believed among the Latins that the church was built on the site where the Holy Family lost their son, Jesus, during a journey between Jerusalem and Nazareth. Some accounts also mention that an unknown pilgrim said the church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary at the place where Mary lost Christ. Most of the church remained intact until the First World War when the Turkish army demolished it to build a stone bridge.
Al-Bireh Church was constructed in the Romanesque style, typical of churches built by the Crusaders in the early twelfth century AD. This architectural style developed in Europe during the ninth and tenth centuries AD and peaked in the eleventh and early twelfth centuries in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The layout of the Al-Bireh Church follows the basilica plan. It is rectangular (22 x 34-37 meters) and consists of side galleries along its length, separated from the nave by columns or stone pillars. The eastern side features three semi-circular niches, not visible from the outside due to the wall thickness. The entrance is in the middle of the western side of the church, retaining its form until the 1930s and 1940s.
The architectural remains indicate that the church entrance had two columns or pillars at its ends, topped by an arch preceding the door. The entrance likely involved a few steps up, followed by a descent into the churchyard via a three-step staircase, each step measuring 240 cm in length and varying in height between 20-30 cm. The staircase was built from well-trimmed stones, and a fourth step of similar height and direction exists.
The church floor was leveled with stone slabs before being covered with tiles. The walls were constructed of well-pounded stones, with the outer walls made of uncut stones and the inner walls covered with plaster, decorated with palm branch-like designs. Later, the walls were covered with another layer of white plaster, featuring decorative paintings, plant leaf-like drawings, and spiral shapes, remnants of which are still visible. Rock-cut benches were built from huge stones surrounding the church along the walls. To the left of the entrance staircase is the bell tower, accessed via a spiral stone staircase.