Nabi Anir is the name of another abandoned shrine, just to the south of Deir Ammar and Beitillu villages. Evidence of civilization stretch over an area of forty donums surrounded by the ruins of old houses and grape and olive mills dating back to the Iron Age I and through the Ottoman
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The origins of the shrine of Sheikh Qatrawani are obscure, but the gaps in the historical record have been filled with a wealth of local folklore. Locals still say that the sanctuary is named for Sheikh Ahmad al-Qatrawani, a holy man from the village of Qatra on the coast near Gaza. Al-Qatrawani, the
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Without a guide, it would be near-impossible to find the ruins of al-Assirah, which is hidden among ancient oaks just outside the village of Beitillu. This is not a Sufi shrine or sanctuary, but a mosque that once formed part of an Ottoman military garrison. The building is in a state of near total
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The shrine of Nabi Ghaith is hidden in the pine trees on a hill above Deir Ammar. The shrine is located 500 meters to the north of the village 550 meters above sea level. The Maqam (shrine) commemorates Sheikh Ghaith and is built from stones reused from the site. Next to the Maqam lie
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The shrine of Nabi Saleh probably dates to the Mamluk or early Ottoman period, though it has been extended and restored several times since then, most recently in 2003. The archaeological record suggests that it was built on top of a twelfth century Crusader church, which had itself replaced a Byzantine
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In 1710 C.E. a traveler named Mustafa Bakri passed through these hills, leaving an account in which he says “we approached Deir Ghassan and spent the night; Sheikh Ibrahim Rabbi invited us for lunch, and we headed to visit al-Khawass Sidi Ibrahim.” The shrine is named for Ibrahim al-Khawass
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The shrine of al-Majdhoub, about an hour’s walk from the village of Deir Ghassaneh, is among the most beautiful and evocative of Palestine’s rural shrines. Standing alone on the hillside, the shrine is an ideal place for a picnic, and commands views all the way across to the Mediterranean.
The
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Deir Ghassaneh Trail
Nabi Ghaith Trail
Nabi Anir Trail
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