By far the main attraction of Bethlehem. The basilica is part of a fairly large complex, including several churches. The first basilica was built on this site (arbitrarily chosen by Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, and assigned to her as the birthplace of Jesus Christ) in 339, but was destroyed in the 6th century during the suppression of some rebellion, which happened in Palestine with enviable regularity. In 565, under Emperor Justinian, the basilica was restored. During the Crusades, it hosted the coronations of the kings of the short-lived Palestinian monarchies, and at the same time, the Crusaders in the 12th century thoroughly restored and expanded the church complex. In 1244, Palestine was captured by the Turks and caused severe damage to the church, which was repaired in 1480 by the joint efforts of several European states. In the 1830s, the church was severely damaged by earthquakes, lay in ruins for a long time, was looted, and in the 1850s even caused a diplomatic conflict between France (which wanted to gain control of the church) and Russia (which did not want any involvement from France), which became one of the reasons for France’s entry into the Crimean War. In the 1930s, the church was finally put in order. In 2002, an incident occurred when a group of Palestinian militants took monks hostage inside the church. Israeli troops did not storm the building, and after 39 days, negotiations were successfully concluded and the hostages were released. Currently, the basilica is jointly administered by the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Armenian Apostolic churches. In the middle of the complex is the 6th-century basilica itself, which is accessed from the square through a very small door. A person of average height has to squeeze through it with their head bowed. The basilica itself has five naves, respectively, with four rows of columns, and mosaics are laid out on the walls. The mosaic floor has been partially preserved. To the left of the basilica is the complex of the Catholic Church of St. Catherine (1852), where the bas-relief “Tree of Jesse” by the modern Polish sculptor Czeslaw Dzwigaj was recently installed. From the apse of the basilica, a staircase leads down to the grotto, designated by Helena as the birthplace of Christ. The place itself is marked with a metal star. All pilgrims go there at once, try to choose a moment when there are fewer visitors in the grotto.