The village of Nazareth is situated in a long valley, surrounded by
lofty hills, between which a road leads to the neighboring plain of
Esdraelon, and to Jerusalem. The convent is situated in the lower part
of the village; and the church belonging to it, a very handsome edifice,
is erected over the grotto, or cave, in which (tradition says) the
Virgin Mary took up her residence. The other objects of interest in
Nazareth are, the synagogue, where Christ is said to have read the
Scriptures to the Jews, at present a church; a precipice without the
town, where, they say, the Jews endeavored to cast Christ down after his
speech in the synagogue; and a church called “the church of the
Annunciation,” erected, as they say, on the spot where Mary, the mother
of our Lord, received the divine message. It is the most magnificent
church in the land except that of the Holy Sepulcher at Jerusalem.