Hebron Old Town

Hebron, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, is a place of deep antiquity and reverence in the southern West Bank, its historic old town inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Its crowning monument is the great enclosure over the Tomb of the Patriarchs, revered as the burial place of Abraham and his family and holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, today the Ibrahimi Mosque within massive ancient stone walls. Around it wind the atmospheric Mamluk-era streets of the old city, with their vaulted stone lanes, historic markets and craft workshops, long famous for glass and pottery. It is a city of profound historical and spiritual depth.

What you actually see

• The Tomb of the Patriarchs - the ancient enclosure over Abraham's tomb.
• The Ibrahimi Mosque - the great mosque within the massive walls.
• The Mamluk old town - the vaulted stone streets and markets.
• The glass and pottery - the famous traditional craft workshops.

When to go

October to April, the cooler months, are most comfortable for exploring the stone streets and markets of the old town on foot, avoiding the summer heat of the hills; spring is mild and pleasant. The old covered lanes offer welcome shade whatever the season.

Honest expectations

Hebron's old town is an ancient, layered and sometimes complex place to navigate, so a local guide greatly enriches a visit and helps with the practicalities of its historic quarters. As one of the oldest cities on earth, home to the revered Tomb of the Patriarchs and atmospheric Mamluk streets and a UNESCO World Heritage site, though, Hebron is of extraordinary historical and spiritual significance.

Nearby

The hills of the southern West Bank and the town's craft workshops lie around it.