Nazareth

Nazareth was a small and insignificant village during the period of Jesus. The valley and its history were well known to the Jews of Nazareth in the time of Jesus. During the first 30 years of his life spent in Nazareth. Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel, with a population of 70,000, once split nearly evenly between Christians and Muslims, but now nearly two-thirds Muslim. A Byzantine church was built over the place where it is believed that the angel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus to the virgin Mary. In 1966 the Roman Catholic Church began constructing a new basilica over these remains and today this church is the largest church building in the Middle East. The Muslims also have built Mosque, was built in 1963. The el-Abyad Mosque, to the north of the Basilica, was built in 1812.