The Church of the Annunciation, Nazareth

This is the church on the site where one tradition holds that the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, telling her that she was to be pregnant and carry Jesus. Similarly, tradition says that this is the location of one of the churches founded by Constantine's mother, Helena. Church buildings were built and destroyed here several times. The current basilica dates to the 1960s.
The 1st picture is of the facade of the basilica from the front courtyard. The 2nd picture is a statue of Mary located in the courtyard with a small labyrinth. Note the wall to the left. There are dozens of depictions of Mary, provided by many nations. Most reflect the culture of the nation that donated each of the pieces.
The 3rd picture is of the main doors. You can follow the Gospel story in condensed form in the carvings that depict events from Jesus' life.
This is a 2 story building. The 4th and 5th pictures are in the lower level. The 4th picture looks across the space. The recessed area in the center gives access to the grotto located to the left. The 5th picture looks into the grotto. This is believed to be the remains of Mary's childhood home.
The last picture is upstairs in the main church. The dome sits above an opening in the floor that is above the grotto in the 5th picture. That connects the larger church with the actual site believed to be where the Annunciation took place.もっと詳しく