Capernaum National Park

Capernaum National Park is an archaeological and national park site on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee in Israel that preserves the remains of the ancient village of Capernaum, occupied from at least the 1st century CE and significant in early Christian sources.

Archaeological evidence shows Capernaum was occupied in the Herodian and Roman periods and developed as a lakeshore village and local economic centre during the 1st century CE; it became a Christian pilgrimage site by the Byzantine era and underwent rebuilding and enlargement during that time. The village declined after the 7th century and later became an archaeological site excavated in the 20th century.

The park sits on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, north of Tiberias and near other lakeshore sites such as Tabgha and Magdala, with road access and a visitor entrance adjacent to the archaeological area.

• Best time to visit: Early morning and late afternoon offer cooler temperatures and softer light for photography of the ruins and shoreline.
• Management and interpretation: The site is managed as a national park by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and includes on-site signage explaining archaeological phases from the 1st to the 7th centuries CE.

What to See #

• St. Peter's House and Church: The main early structure is a basalt-period house identified by archaeologists as the likely site of the Apostle Peter's home, later enclosed by a modern octagonal pilgrimage church built above the remains.
• Synagogue ruins: A later, large white limestone Byzantine synagogue from the 4th-5th centuries CE sits on top of earlier black basalt foundations of an earlier synagogue dated to the Herodian/early Roman period.
• Visitor area and walkways: A small visitor area and walkways give access to the shoreline and archaeological excavations, with interpretive panels explaining finds from the 1st century through the Byzantine era.