Bethlehem Lighted Village Inn - Fontanini® 5" Collection

Bethlehem Lighted Village Inn - Fontanini® 5" Collection.

In biblical times, travelers walked from town to town on unpaved roads, seeking shelter in public inns along the way. These two-story inns were not much larger than private homes. The ground floor was an open room where the animals rested. The upper floor consisted of small rooms and a flat roof. The inn was built near the town well, so the travelers could get fresh water for themselves and their animals. Inns provided a place to sleep, but travelers often brought their own bedding and good. Guests enjoyed the opportunity to meet people from other towns, and exchange stories and information. Wealthier guests could sleep in a private room on the 2nd floor. People with less money would have slept on the flat roof or even in the first floor by the animals.