In the north of Israel, on the shores of Lake Kinneret, there is the city of Capernaum (Kefar Nahum) known to anyone who has read the Gospel. In tourist guides to Galilee, it is often called 'the city of Jesus Christ.' It was here that the Savior of the world preached loudly for the first time. It was from Capernaum that the holy apostles from the number of twelve, Peter, Andrew, James and John, came out by birth.
Capernaum, a city of the same age as the Gospel story, archaeologists began to open to the world only in the second half of the last century - and this work continues to this day. Step by step, the sands of time are receding, revealing more and more impressive evidence of the life of people of the first millennium of a new era. Since its early centuries, a significant part of the local population was made up of Christians - this is evidenced by the images of crosses on bowls, ceramic tiles, and lamps extracted by researchers from the ground.
One of the most visited tourist sites in Capernaum is the White Synagogue. In ancient times, its hall was decorated with skilful ornaments made of grape vines, as well as images of animals - lions, centaurs ... In the western part of the synagogue, a stone bench and steps of a staircase have been preserved. At one time, scientists suggest, the synagogue building was two-tiered; moreover, men prayed on the lower tier, women on the upper tier.
The house of the Apostle Peter is located not far from the synagogue. how believe that it was in it that the Lord stayed when visiting Capernaum. Experts believe that the building was mainly used as a prayer hall, and not as a living quarters. Among the surviving ornaments and inscriptions, mentions of the names of Jesus Christ and the Apostle Peter have been preserved here. In the early Byzantine era, an octagonal temple was built over the house of St. Peter.
And in the 1930s, the Greek Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles was erected in Capernaum. This is a recognizable temple from afar with bright domes and paintings on the walls. Around the cathedral there is a garden, from which an impressive panorama of the Kinneret Lake opens.
There are several archaeological museums on the territory of Capernaum. They exhibit finds that allow you to get acquainted with the life and life of people of the first centuries of our era.
In Israel, Capernaum has been given the status of a national park; entrance / entry here is completely free. The park is open daily from 8:00 to 16:00, on Friday from 8:00 to 15:00.
For the convenience of numerous tourists and pilgrims arriving here, free parking, a cafe, a shop, a souvenir shop and toilets are provided on the territory of Capernaum.
You can get to Capernaum either by car or by regular buses that follow highway 90 to the Kfar Nahum junction.
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V. Sergienko
