Turkish military drill outside the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, Palestine, c.1898-1917 Howat-MaxtedFreja SansourLeila NorrisJacob 2020 This is a digital reproduction of an image held at the Library of Congress. <div><br></div><div>The photograph depicts a Turkish military drill taking place beside the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem during Ottoman rule in Palestine. The Church of the Nativity holds great religious significance for many religions as it is regarded as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. For this reason it has been involved in political turmoil at different points in history such as during the Crimean War, which began with a Franco-Russian dispute over the grotto in the Nativity Church. </div><div><br></div><div>This image exists as part of the Nativity Church collection within the Library of Congress project of the Planet Bethlehem Archive.</div>