Khan Al Bireh
The road heading north from Jerusalem to Sabastiya is an ancient one. In the 12th century, in the Crusader period, it was controlled by the Knights of St. John, or Knights Hospitallers. The khan building was built in the Romanesque style and served as the center of the Crusader governance in the area until the Islamic period when it became an inn or khan in the 16th century. Historians believe that it was the first stopping place for caravans and pilgrims traveling from Jerusalem to Nablus.
The khan gradually fell into ruins until 2014 when Rozana supervised a rehabilitation project, funded by the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), which restored the remaining structurally-sound parts of the building. Today it is now a beautifully preserved museum and community resource center with a permanent archeological exhibit, a community room, and workshops and lectures on local cultural heritage.
