Dar Sitti Aziza is named by Aziza Shaheen the wife of Issa Shaheen, it has the style of a traditional Ottoman-era urban merchant’s home (about 500 years old). This means large blocks of locally-cut stone for the foundation and walls, flagstones for the floor, arched ceilings, courtyards, and a center space with plenty of rooms each built for a different purpose. The front door was designed so that an animal as big as a camel with pack-bags on its back could pass into the house. Towards the end of last century, life took each remaining family member off in different directions and out of the house. Many of our relatives live outside the country, while Emily the daughter of Issa and Aziza lived in neighboring Beit Sahour, best known as being the site of Shepherd’s Field where shepherds were told by angels that Jesus, had been born in Bethlehem. Rooms: Each room at Dar Sitti Aziza has its own name, with its own history. The Bazaar , Grainery, Horse,Well,Wine. Olive, Bride of Bethlehem, Balcony, and Little Emily rooms. Breakfast: mostly organic and homemade , in summer served at the terrace facing the church of Nativity from the side. Or under the pistachio trees.

Name: Nabil Rishmawi Son of Emily Shaheen Rishmawi, the youngest daughter of Aziza and Issa Shaheen. Education: Master’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Science Post: Manger of Dar Sitti Aziza

The location of the home is right below Manger Square, which is the pavilion outside of Nativity Church. Our family members grew up with the sound of bells peeling from the three steeples of Kinesa Al-Mehed (our local name for Nativity Church) and the call of the Muezzin from the Mosque of Omar. Some members of the family lived in this house through the Ottoman, British, Jordanian and Israeli eras of Bethlehem. The house is only about 50 meters side to side by the church of Nativity and about 175 meters door to door. Again we are about 150 meters away of the Milk grotto church. During Christmas, you can hear all the singing at the manger square, on our terrace. A minimum of 3 nights is required to be reserved at our property during Christmas time other wise it will show as fully booked on our webpage.