This is the huge Catholic Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth. It is built over the place that was the supposed home of Mary when the Angel announced to her that she would bear the Son of God. One of things you learn when you go to Israel is that most of the Holy sites are covered by churches. Most of the ground level during biblical times is actually underneath these churches. It does get really old seeing everything that way, but at the same time, we would probably have no sites to see if they hadn't been preserved like this.
View from the street.
Carved wooden front door.
The baptisimal font...wait, what? Yes, a baptisimal font in the lower level of the church. Wrap your mind around that. Our tour guide was good friends with the caretaker here and once asked him why there was a baptisimal font in a Catholic Church. He said they used to baptize by immersion. Our guide then asked why they changed it and he replied that it was "more convenient."
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