The Palestinian city of al-Khalīl is most commonly known as Hebron. It is located in the West Bank and it is one of the oldest cities in the Levant. It is also the largest city in the West Bank.
According to legend, Abraham settled in Hebron and bought the Cave of the Patriarchs as burial place for his wife Sarah. The patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their wives Sarah, Rebecca and Leah, were buried in the cave. According to the same legend David was anointed king of Israel in Hebron.
In the 1st century BC, Herod the Great built the wall that still surrounds the Cave of the Patriarchs. It later became a church and then a mosque. The area around Hebron has been under Muslim control ever since its foundation in the 6th century, the only exception being the time when the crusaders took over in the Middle Ages.
The Jewish community fled from Hebron after 1929 riots and the 1936-1939 Arab uprising. The West Bank, including Hebron, was annexed by Jordan during the Arab-Israeli war of 1948. Since the Six-Day War in 1967 it has been occupied by Israel and Jewish people have returned to the city. Parts of Hebron have been under Palestinian control since 1997.
The Old City of Hebron has many narrow, winding streets, lined with flat-roofed stone houses and old bazaars. Hebron is inscribed in the UNESCO list of world heritage sites. There are numerous mosques, synagogues, churches, parks, palaces, castles and forts and it is one of the world's best preserved sites of the Mamluk era.
Most tourists in Hebron come to visit the Cave of the Patriarchs. it consists of several halls. The Isaac Hall serves as the Ibrahimi mosque, while the Abraham and Jacob Hall serve as a synagogue.
The tombs of biblical figures Abner ben Ner, Otniel ben Kenaz, Ruth and Jesse can also be seen in Hebron. The sites are reverred to Christians, Muslims and Jews alike. Access is controlled by the Israeli authoroties.
The Abraham Avinu Synagogue is in the historic Jewish quarter. It was constructed in 1540, during Ottoman times. A restoration took place in 1738.
There are numerous mosques in Hebron, including the Sheikh Ali al-Bakka and Al-Jawali mosques. The city is also home to many churches.
The Oak of Sibta (Oak of Abraham) is an old tree that is said to mark the location, where Abraham pitched his tent. Nearby Abraham's Oak Holy Trinity Monastery was consecrated in 1925.
There are numerous interesting sites in the vicinity of Hebron. Aristobolia, also knwon as Khirbet Istanbul is in the south of Hebron, not far from the village of Zif. It is home to a Byzantine-era basilica. The so-called Crusader pool, a ruined Byzantine church and a Crusader fortress are all located in Khirbet al–Karmil. As-Samu is an ancient biblical village that is home to a 4th century synagogue, numerous Ottoman-era structures and an Islamic building,from the Ayyubid dynasty.
In the northeast of Hebron is Wadi al–Quff Natural Reserve. It is very popular with locals during the weekends, when countless families come to visit.
Hebron's economy is mostly based on the growing of grapes and figs, as well as the manufacturing of ceramics and plastics. There are countless pottery workshops, as well as a metalworking and glassblowing industry.
The city is 30 km (19 mi) south of Jerusalem. Hebron is capital of West Bank's largest governorate, called Hebron Governorate.
