The St. George Monastery

Clinging to the face of a gorge, with green palm trees around it, in the beautiful Wadi Qelt, in which a stream runs with blue water that spring in a clear and shaded pool, is the St. George Monastery. This monastery, which was built in 420 CE, is situated about 5 kilometers to the west of the city of Jericho. The way down to the monastery provides a spectacular view of the monastery itself and its nearby spring. The monastery’s upper floor is an ancient cave, around which were build three magnificent churches with an impressive bell tower at their top. The Monks who live here believe that this is the cave in which lived the Prophet Elijah and that in this cave an angel announced to Jesus’ grandfather that his wife will give birth to the Virgin Mary. The mountain peaks around the monastery are surrounded by impressive iron crosses, which were put here by the monks in 1967.