The city of Nablus lies in a narrow gorge less than a kilometer
wide between Mount Jarzim (880 m) and its counterpart, Mount Ebal (940 m). The
road through the plain from Ramallah to Nablus crosses the industrial zone and
Balata Refugee Camp before starting up the gorge, which runs from east to west.
The old city of Nablus (Shechem) first grew up around a spring under what is now
the Balata Refugee Camp.
Shechem was destroyed in the second century BC by John Hyrcanus’ army. In 70
AD, Roman Emperor Titus totally annihilated the ancient city and built the
settlement of Flavia Neapolis (the Latin neapolis - “new city” - having also
baptized the city Naples, similar to Nablus in its transliteration) at the foot
of Mount Jarzim, in honour of his father Emperor Flavius Vespasian, whom he
succeeded in 79 AD. Flavia Neapolis progressively acquired characteristics
typical of a Roman city: a forum, amphitheatre, hippodrome and paved streets
with colonnades; it was later surrounded by a wall.
Graeco-Roman religious cults developed in the region, but not without
opposition from the Samaritans, who were among the principal victims of the
Roman occupation. The subsequent growth of Christianity and its official
recognition in the fourth century dealt a fatal blow to the Samaritan community.
In 636, Nablus was conquered by Arab troops and went through a rapid process of
Islamisation and Arabisation. Christian places of worship, often established on
the same site as older Samaritan or Roman temples, were in turn transformed into
mosques or Muslim shrines. Nablus developed on the model of Damascus, the
Umayyad capital, to such an extent that the Arab geographer al-Muqaddassi (tenth
century), nicknamed it “The Little Damascus,” a title of which it is proud to
this day.
In the eleventh century, Nablus became the seat of a power struggle between
the Abbassids and the Fatimids. This crisis left the field open for the Crusader
conquest. Queen Melisende of Jerusalem, mother of Baldwin III, retained Nablus
after her regency ended and lived here from 1152 to 1161. Saladin recaptured the
city in 1187. In the following century, the city experienced a number of
calamities: an earthquake in 1202, the Mongolian invasion in 1260 and Bedouin
plundering in 1280, before retrieving prosperity again during the Mameluke
period. Its production of soap, cotton cloth and pastries acquired a reputation
in the entire Arab world.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Nablus became the political arena for
the Arab national movement as it confronted three challenges: the Turkish
national movement between 1909 and 1914, Zionist immigration and British
colonialism. During the Palestinian national movement’s revolt (1936), Nablus
was even the first city to create a Palestinian National Committee. Its
avant-garde position against colonialism and occupation earned it the name Jabal
en-Nar (the Mountain of Fire). In spring 1963, the liberation movements of
Palestine even declared, in Nablus, the “Republic of Palestine. It goes without
saying that this prompted tighter control of the city by the Jordanian
authorities of King Hussein.
Subsequent Israeli occupation brought new forms of repression. Many
Palestinian political leaders were victims of assassination attempts. In 1980,
Bassam Shaka’a, mayor-elect of Nablus survived the explosion of his
booby-trapped car. His two legs were blown off. Having survived the attack, he
was dismissed from his position by the Israeli authorities and placed under
house arrest. In 1995, Nablus became an autonomous Palestinian city (Area A),
but totally surrounded by Jewish settlements. The economic situation of the
city, where there are many small manufacturers (furniture and construction
materials, among others), is paralyzed by Israeli restrictions on export and
dependence on the Israeli market.
Named the “Mountain of Fire” by Palestinians in allusion to its strong
resistance, the Israeli authorities have given it the name “capital of
terrorism” since the outbreak of the al-Aqsa Intifada and have been merciless in
their siege of the city, which has been repeatedly bombarded since the beginning
of this Intifada. After the Israeli army entered the centre of the city in April
2002, the population - already besieged by seven checkpoints around it - was
subjected to a more or less permanent curfew from July until mid-October. At
that time, curfew was lifted for 79 hours, or just over three days.
Sites of Interest
The Municipal Tourism Office
Organises guided tours (open daily 8:00-16:00 except Fridays; NIS 200 for a
two-hour guided tour in French, English, German, or Italian). If the office is
closed, contact the Nablus Municipality (09- 237 9313).
Al Casbah (Qasaba - the Old City)
The al-Kebir Mosque (Great Mosque)
Qaber (Tomb) of Sheikh Badr ed-Din
Hammam esh-Shifa
En-Nasser Street, open daily 8:00-24:00 for men except Tuesday and Sunday,
8:00-17:00 for women and 17:00-24:00 for men. Bath NIS18, massage NIS10 and bath
with camel’s-hair brush NIS10. This hammam was built in 1624 by the Tuqan
family. Musical evenings (classical Arab repertoire) are organised on request (
09-238 1176; total cost NIS700).
Hammam al-Hana (es-Sumara)
Jadet al-Yasmina Street, open daily 6:00-23:00 for men except Tuesdays,
8:00-17:00 for women. Bath NIS20, massage NIS10, and bath with camel’s- hair
brush NIS5). This hammam is proud of its ancient history. Closed since 1928, it
re-opened in 1995.
Tuqan soap factory:
Corner of Martyrs’ Square
Bader soap factory:
20, en-Nasser Street, opposite the en-Nasser Mosque
The Roman Amphitheatre
Free admission; ask for the keys from the owner of a small workshop to the
left of the iron gateway.
The Hippodrome
Several parts, including the western end, have been unearthed. One part is
alongside the alleyway that connects the site to Martyrs’ Square.
Other Sites In the Nablus Area
Balata Refugee Camp
UNRWA representative, Taysir Daoud, 09-238 8038.
Jacob’s Well
At the entrance to Balata Camp. Open Monday-Saturday 8:00-12:00 and
14:00-17:00; free admission, donations appreciated.
Qaber Yusef (Joseph’s Tomb)
Just to the north of Jacob’s Well.
Tel Balata (Shechem) and its Ruins
Inside Balata Refugee Camp, free admission.
Mount Jarzim
Magnificent panorama. A journey in a private taxi costs between NIS20 and
NIS25. The Samaritan Museum is in the centre of the village.
Tel al-Far’a
Located 12 kilometres from Nablus in the direction of the Jordan Valley, on
the edge of the al-Far’a Refugee Camp.
Contacts
Bassam Shaka’a
Bassam Shaka’a, former mayor of Nablus, is happy to be available to any
individual or group to share his knowledge and experience. ( 09-238 4605).
En-Najah National University
Department of Public Relations: 09-238 1113/7, www.najah.edu. The University
offers intensive Arabic courses for foreigners in the summer or during the
academic year. These courses are inexpensive and the ambience conducive to
language learning. Lodgings in the city are provided for foreign students.
The Committee for the Defence of Palestinian Refugee Rights and the Yaffa
Cultural Centre
Both institutions located on the same floor of a building in Balata Refugee
Camp, near Jacob’s Well. 09-232 4930. yafacult@hally.net. Visits to the camp may
be arranged.
Centre for Women’s Activities
In Balata Refugee Camp opposite the Committee for the Defence of Refugee
Rights. “Programme Women’s Centre” 09-232 4052.
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