The land of olives and vines
A World Heritage Site: wonderful irrigated agricultural terraces and a unique Roman water distribution system
The origin of the name Battir can be traced back to the Phoenician and Arabic meaning “cutting and separating”, while another narrative claims that it means a “birdhouse”. Battir was inhabited during the Byzantine and Islamic periods.
The system of irrigated terraces, with its ancient Roman irrigation channels, played an important role in the economic development of the area.
In 2014 Battir was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the Land of Olives and Vines -Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem.