Hebron's Old City: A Guide to al-Khalil

Hebron is one of the oldest continuously lived-in cities in the world. In Arabic it is called al-Khalil, meaning the friend, after Ibrahim, known in the Bible as Abraham, who is remembered as the friend of God and is said to be buried here.

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The Ibrahimi Mosque

At the heart of the old city stands the Ibrahimi Mosque, also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs. Its massive outer wall dates from the time of Herod, around 2,000 years ago, and the site is sacred to Muslims, Jews and Christians. Today the building is divided into separate Muslim and Jewish sections, and access is tightly controlled.

A World Heritage old town

In 2017, UNESCO added Hebron's old town to its World Heritage List. Many of its houses and markets date from the Mamluk period, between the 13th and 16th centuries, built from local limestone around courtyards and covered lanes. The Hebron Rehabilitation Committee has restored hundreds of these homes, work that won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1998.

Glass, pottery and keffiyehs

Hebron is known across Palestine for its crafts. Glassblowers still shape blue and green glass in family workshops, and potters paint bowls and tiles by hand. The city is also home to the Hirbawi factory, founded in 1961 and widely described as the last factory in Palestine still weaving keffiyehs.

The city of grapes

The hills around Hebron are covered in vineyards. Local families turn the harvest into raisins, dibs, a thick grape molasses, and malban, a chewy sweet made from grape juice and nuts.

Hebron today

Beyond the old city, Hebron is the largest city in the West Bank and a busy commercial centre, known for stone, shoes and leather. Its people are famous for their business sense and their hospitality.

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