Chorazin National Park

Address: Korazim (Chorazin) National Park, Northern Israel (near the Sea of Galilee)

Website: https://www.parks.org.il/

Admission: Entrance to Korazim National Park (site) - small fee may apply for national park sites in Israel; check Israel Nature and Parks Authority

Chorazin (Korazim) is an archaeological site in northern Israel containing the remains of an ancient Jewish village and a prominent synagogue. The site is notable for its substantial basalt-built synagogue and its appearance in New Testament texts.

Excavated ruins include the synagogue structure, house foundations, and street traces from Hellenistic through Byzantine periods, visible across a compact archaeological park. Interpretive paths let visitors examine the synagogue walls, carved stone details, and see a panorama toward the Sea of Galilee from the site’s position on the Galilean rim.

The settlement developed in the Hellenistic-Roman era and continued into the Byzantine period; the synagogue dates to the late Roman or Byzantine phase when Jewish communal synagogues were prominent. The site was later abandoned and preserved as an archaeological ruin that has been excavated and conserved in modern times.

Chorazin sits on the northwestern rim of the Sea of Galilee in Israel’s Northern District, on basalt uplands above the lake plain. The site is accessible from regional roads serving the Galilee and lies near other ancient sites around the lake.

• Visitor access: Short walking trails and interpretive signs allow close inspection of the synagogue remains and offer views across the Sea of Galilee from the site perimeter.
• Biblical reference: Mentioned in the New Testament alongside Capernaum and Bethsaida as a town criticized in Jesus’ teachings, making it a point of interest for biblical studies.

What to See#

• Synagogue ruins: Remains of a large basalt synagogue with surviving walls and carved stone elements, commonly dated to the late Roman or Byzantine period and interpreted as the village’s communal religious building.
• Tel and village remains: The archaeological mound and village area showing residential remains and street layouts from Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine phases.

Korazim National Park is northeast of the Sea of Galilee. From Tiberias or Safed (Tzfat) follow regional roads to the northern shore area and follow park signage. The site is reachable by car and is commonly included on regional archaeological itineraries.

• Visit early to avoid the midday heat and to see the layers of basalt masonry in better light.
• Bring sturdy shoes-the synagogue ruins have uneven basalt flooring and exposed stone steps.
• Read the Biblical references (e.g., Matthew 11:21-24) beforehand; the site resonates with its brief but dramatic mention in New Testament texts.