Capernaum synagogue National Park

Address: Capernaum National Park, along the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel

Website: https://en.parks.org.il/reserve-park/capernaum/

Hours: Daily 8am-5pm (seasonal variations may apply)

The Capernaum synagogue is the archaeological remains of an ancient synagogue at the site of Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee’s shore, notable for its exposed stonework and biblical associations. Excavations have revealed monumental synagogue architecture from late antiquity that overlays earlier structures.

The stone-built synagogue visible today dates to the Byzantine period (commonly dated to the 4th-5th centuries CE) and was built on top of earlier foundations of a basalt synagogue. Adjacent ruins include domestic buildings and early Christian structures; an octagonal church marks the area traditionally identified as the house associated with the apostle Peter.

Excavations were carried out by archaeologists in the 19th and 20th centuries and have been the basis for both scholarly study and pilgrimage-driven conservation. The site is maintained for archaeological interpretation and religious visitation, with pathways and informational signage.

The synagogue stands on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, within the archaeological zone of ancient Capernaum, near other pilgrimage sites such as Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes. It is accessed from nearby modern roads serving the Sea of Galilee region.

• Visitor notes: Photo and site access rules are enforced at the archaeological site; many pilgrims combine a visit with nearby Sea of Galilee sites such as Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes.
• Archaeological layers: Excavations revealed a 4th-5th century synagogue built on top of an earlier synagogue; the visible stones are white limestone set over dark basalt foundations.

What to See#

• Byzantine-era synagogue: The archaeological synagogue built of white limestone on visible foundations dates to the 4th-5th centuries CE and was constructed over an earlier black basalt synagogue.
• St. Peter’s house and octagonal church: Ruins identified as a house believed in tradition to be the home of the apostle Peter, later covered by an early Christian octagonal church structure from the Byzantine period.
• Ancient village remains: The wider ancient village site includes domestic structures, docks and streets from the late Roman and Byzantine periods that illustrate a fishing-village economy on the Sea of Galilee.

Capernaum is approximately 20-30 minutes’ drive north from Tiberias. Public buses and shared taxis (sheruts) run from Tiberias and nearby towns; private tours from the Galilee region often include the site as a stop on a larger circuit around the Sea of Galilee.

• Walk the archaeological site with a guide to get context for the layered synagogue remains and the Roman-era town plan.
• Visit early in the morning to avoid both heat and the bulk of day-trippers from the Sea of Galilee shores.
• Bring a hat and water - the exposed stone and basalt reflect heat and sun strongly in summer.