Al-Bireh
| Al-Bireh | ||
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| Other transcription(s) | ||
| • Arabic | البيرة | |
| • Also spelled | al-Bira (unofficial) | |
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 Al-Bireh
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| Coordinates: 31°54′19″N 35°12′54″E / 31.90528°N 35.21500°ECoordinates: 31°54′19″N 35°12′54″E / 31.90528°N 35.21500°E | ||
| Palestine grid | 170/145 | |
| Governorate | Ramallah & al-Bireh | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | City | |
| • Head of Municipality | Umar Hammayil | |
| Area | ||
| • Jurisdiction | 22,406 dunams (22.4 km2 or 8.6 sq mi) | |
| Population (2006) | ||
| • Jurisdiction | 38,202 | |
| Name meaning | "The Well of the Palace" | |
| Website | www.al-bireh.org | |
Al-Bireh, al-Birah, or el-Bira (Arabic: البيرة; also known historically as Castrum Mahomeria, Magna Mahomeria, Mahomeria Major, Birra, or Beirothah) is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank, 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) north of Jerusalem. It is situated on the central ridge running through the West Bank and is 860 meters (2,820 ft) above sea level, covering an area of 22.4 square kilometers (8.6 sq mi).
Because of its location Al-Bireh served as an economic crossroad between the north and south, along the caravan route between Jerusalem and Nablus. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), the city had a population of approximately 39,202 in the 2007 census.
Edward Robinson in the early 19th century thought Al-Bireh was the biblical Be'eroth, but modern scholars believe Be'eroth was located at Kh. el-Burj near Beit Iksa.
Claude Reignier Conder and others identified it with Beirothah of the Samaritan chronicles.
The Crusaders captured and named the town Birra. It was also called Castrum Mahomeria, Magna Mahomeria or Mahomeria Major. It was one of 21 villages given by King Godfrey as a fief to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In 1114, the gift was re-confirmed by Baldwin I of Jerusalem.
In 1156, 92 people from Mahomeria pledged their allegiance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and a further 50 names were added in the next three decades. Hence, it has been estimated that the total Frankish population at this time was 500-700.
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