Places of Interest - Israël

Tiberias:

Due to earthquakes and war, there are still very few original houses and buildings standing built before 1948. An exception is the "Meyouhas" hostel near the "Rabin" square. Another is the "Al-Amari" and "Jama Al-Bahr" mosque. Near the banks of the lake you will find the "St. Peter Parish "church that was once built in the 12th century by Crusaders. It became a mosque, later a caravanserai by the Ottomans and then reformed into another church. You can take a look in the center located 'archaeological park', the shores of the lake or in the pedestrian zone of "Midrahov". To the south of the center you can find the ancient hot springs "Hammat" of the city. Finally, countless important tombs can be visited in and around the city.

Kapernaum:

Settlement Kapernaum was inhabited between the year 150 BC up to 750 AD. It’s mentioned in the New Testament in the Bible as the residence of Jesus and the place where he recruited his first disciples such as the local fishermen and brothers Peter and Andrew. But also James and John and Matthew the tax collector (tax collector). When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been taken prisoner, he himself lived in Capernaum. He taught in the synagogue there. Furthermore, Jesus reproached the inhabitants of this place for not having converted, despite the miracles that he had done there. During the 4th century, the city was quite swollen and spread over the hills. After the Arab conquest after 700 AD the city was destroyed and never inhabited again. In 1894 the ruins and adjoining area were purchased and nowadays in possession and management of the Franciscans. They built a small monastery west of the House of Peter and henceforth devoted themselves to the research of Capernaum. In the ruins of the supposed house of Peter, Jesus would occupy a room -with the mosaic floor.

Tabgha:

Tabgha is sometimes described as the most beautiful and serene Christian holy place even if you do not have a religious background. The name Tabgha is a distortion of the Greek Heptapegon, which means 'place of the seven sources'. Of the seven sources that came out in the Lake of Tiberias, five still exist. The place is best known for the New Testament story of the Bible about Jesus who fed his five thousand listeners with five loaves and two fish. In the place where it is suspected that this event took place exactly, the Byzantines founded the Bread Multiplication Church in the 5th century.

Hamat Gader:

This hot spring and animal park resort of “Hamat Gader” is located about 8 km southeast of the Sea of Galilee and is very popular with tourists and local Israelis. There is a spa, swimming pools and parts of ancient Roman ruins have been reconstructed. There is also a crocodile farm. Founded during Roman times, there is still a Roman theater present that was built in the 3rd century AD with 2000 seats. A large synagogue was built in the 5th century. The neighboring and upper part of the old Roman settlement is now in the country of “Jordan” and is called "Umm Qais".

Belvoir:

The Belvoir crusader castle of “Belvoir” is located on a hill on the Naftali Plateau, 20 kilometers south of the Sea of Galilee and about 500 meters above the Jordan River valley. From in between the ruins on the hill you’ve got an amazing view over the landscape around the Sea of Galilee.  

It was originally part of the feudal estate of a French nobleman named Velos, who lived in Tiberias. Velos sold the land to the Hospitallers in 1168. This order built a castle on the hill. The castle served its purpose during an important invasion of the Muslims in the Kingdom of Jerusalem from the east. The castle withstood the attack of the Islamic forces in 1180. During the 1182 campaign, the Battle of Belfort was fought over between King Baudouin IV of Jerusalem and Saladin. This resulted in a small victory for the crusaders. After the victory of the Islamic army under Saladin against the Crusaders in the Battle of Hattin, the castle was besieged again. The siege lasted for one and a half years until the defenders surrendered on 5 January 1189. The fortifications of the castle were dismantled in 1217 by the Islamic rulers, who feared a reconquest of the fort by the crusaders. In 1240 the castle was relinquished to the crusaders by an agreement, but due to lack of financial means they could not restore the fortifications and it became again under Islamic control. The Palestinian village was evacuated in 1948 after an attack by the Israeli forces. Now you can visit it for free.

The city of Tiberias was in the year 17 AD founded by Herod Antipas, the son of the famous king Herod I. He named it after the princess Tiberius. The city has been known for its hot springs since ancient times. An important source of income is traditionally the fishing on the lake of Galilee next to the city. The city is besides places like Jerusalem, Hebron and Safed one of the holy cities for Jews. For a long time it has been also a spiritual center for the Jews in the country. The city has a rich history. In ancient Israel it was in the area of the Naftali tribe. Furthermore, the tomb of Maimonides is located in the Ben Zakkai street in Tiberias, and the tombs of Jochanan ben Zakkai and Rabbi Akiva are in the city. After the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin was in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD moved to Tiberias. The Masoretas who developed a system to reliably pass on the Bible text, including vowels, were active around the year 900 to 1000 in this city. In 1938, a murder (pogrom) took place in the city, killing 19 Jewish residents. Today Tiberias and its surroundings are popular with Israeli and foreign tourists. From many places in Tiberias one has a nice view of the lake, and on the Golan Heights on the other side of it.