Discover 8 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Tiberias (Israel). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Sea of Galilee, Domus Galilaeae, and St. Peter's Church. Also, be sure to include Maimonides Heritage Center in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Tiberias (HaZafon).
Table of Contents
Sea of Galilee
Also known as: הכנרת
Lake popular with Christian pilgrims. The Sea of Galilee, also called Lake Tiberias, Kinneret or Kinnereth, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second-lowest lake in the world, at levels between 215 metres and 209 metres below sea level. It is approximately 53 km in circumference, about 21 km long, and 13 km wide. Its area is 166.7 km2 at its fullest, and its maximum depth is approximately 43 metres. The lake is fed partly by underground springs but its main source is the Jordan River, which flows through it from north to south and exits the lake at the Degania Dam.[1]
Domus Galilaeae
Also known as: דומוס גלילאה
Religious destination in Israel. Domus Galilaeae or House of Galilee, located on the peak of Mount of Beatitudes, above and north of Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee, is a Christian meeting place used for seminars and conventions, run by the Neocatechumenal Way. On his pilgrimage to Israel in 2000, Pope John Paul II visited Domus Galilaeae and said he hoped it would become a place for interreligious dialogue.[2]
Address: Road #90 opposite Vered Hagalil, Tiberias
St. Peter's Church
Also known as: כנסיית פטרוס הקדוש
Religious building in Tiberias, Israel. The St. Peter's Church is a religious building belonging to the Catholic Church which is next to a monastery in Tiberias, a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, in the Lower Galilee, in northern District of Israel. The church is named after St. Peter one of the apostles of Jesus, because it is near where Catholics believe that St. Peter was a fisherman in Galilee.
The church was founded in the early twelfth century by the Crusaders. With the conquest of Tiberias by Muslims after the defeat of Christians in the Battle of Hattin in 1187 it became a mosque.
During the eighteenth century, the interest of the members of the Franciscan order in the church, began to visit her, first at the feast of St. Peter, and then permanently renewed. During this century the Franciscans retook control of the church. In 1833 he was brought a replica of the statue of St. Peter by Arnolfo di Cambio an exact replica of the one that exists in the Vatican, and in 1847 established a monastery near the church. In 1870 the current facade of the temple was built. After World War II was built a memorial wall depicting various issues related to the Catholic Church in Poland and the central image of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa.[3]
Maimonides Heritage Center
Also known as: מרכז מורשת הרמב"ם
The Maimonides Heritage Center is an educational and cultural non-profit organization in the Israeli city of Tiberias. Established in 2003 by Rabbi Yamin Levy, it works to disseminate the teachings and worldview of Maimonides to the general public. The main attraction is the Setton Family Hospitality Center, a small museum and study hall.[4]
Tomb of Maimonides
Also known as: קבר הרמב"ם
Pilgrimage place in Tiberias, Israel. According to Jewish tradition, the Tomb of Maimonides is in central Tiberias, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel. Maimonides died in Fustat, Egypt on 12 December 1204, where it is believed that he was briefly buried before being reinterred in Tiberias. The Tomb of Maimonides is one of the most important Jewish pilgrimage sites in Israel, and one of Tiberias's most visited tourist attractions. The place of the tomb of Maimonides is also the burial place of Rabbis Yochanan ben Zakai and Isaiah Horowitz.[5]
Tomb of the Matriarchs
The Tomb of the Matriarchs, in Tiberias, Israel, is the traditional burial place of several biblical women:
- Bilhah, handmaid of Rachel.
- Zilpah, handmaid of Leah.
- Jochebed, mother of Moses.
- Zipporah, wife of Moses.
- Elisheba, wife of Aaron.
- Abigail, one of King David's wives.
The marble structure beside a modern apartment building block is surrounded by a stone wall.[6]
Benedictine Monastery of Tabgha
Church
Al-Amari Mosque
