Northern District

Northern District: Essential Wonders

The Northern District encompasses Israel's most significant biblical landscapes and archaeological sites. From the shores of the Sea of Galilee to the heights of Mount Tabor, the region features Roman Catholic basilicas in Nazareth, the ancient fishing village of Capernaum, and the UNESCO-listed necropolis of Beit She'arim. Natural highlights include the limestone grottoes of Rosh HaNikra on the Mediterranean coast and the powerful Banias waterfall within the Hermon Nature Reserve. This collection highlights the intersection of spiritual heritage and diverse geological formations across the Galilee and Golan Heights.

Northern District: Essential Wonders — Map

User:י.ש. / CC BY-SA 3.0

A

Sea of Galilee

The Sea of Galilee, also called Lake Tiberias or Kinneret, is a freshwater lake in Israel.

B

Banias waterfall

Located within the Hermon Nature Reserve, this 10-meter-high cascade is the most powerful in Israel. It is fed by the Banias River, a major source of the Jordan River, and sits near the ruins of ancient Caesarea Philippi.

James Emery / CC BY 2.0

C

Church of the Beatitudes

The Church of the Beatitudes is a Roman Catholic church located on the Mount of Beatitudes by the Sea of Galilee near Tabgha and Capernaum…

Dan Lundberg / CC BY-SA 2.0

D

Church of the Annunciation

Situated on the site of former Byzantine and Crusader churches, this basilica was built in 1969.

David Shankbone / CC-BY-SA-3.0

E

Capernahum

Capernaum was a fishing village established during the time of the Hasmoneans, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Berthold Werner / Public domain

F

Benedictine Monastery of Tabgha

Located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, this site is built over the location of the miracle of the loaves and fish. It features restored 5th-century Byzantine floor mosaics depicting local flora and fauna.

Bantosh~commonswiki / CC-BY-SA-3.0

G

Peter's Primacy Church

A Franciscan chapel in Tabgha built in 1933 over a limestone rock known as Mensa Christi. It marks the traditional site where Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and shared a breakfast of fish.

H

Rosh HaNikra grottoes

Rosh HaNikra or Hanikra is a geologic formation on the border between Israel and Lebanon, located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in…

I

Beit She`arim

Beit She'arim Necropolis is an extensive rock-cut necropolis located near the ancient Jewish town of Beit She'arim, 20 km east of Haifa in…

Anatavital / CC BY-SA 3.0

J

Beit Alfa Ancient Synagogue

Beth Alpha is an ancient former Jewish synagogue, located at the foot of the northern slopes of the Gilboa mountains near Beit She'an, in…

מוחמד מוסא שהואן / CC BY 2.5

K

Mount Tabor

Rising 575 meters above the Jezreel Valley, this peak is the traditional site of the Transfiguration. The summit hosts the Franciscan Church of the Transfiguration and offers panoramic views across the Galilee and Samaria.

Lisa Parr-Hollingsworth / CC-BY-SA

L

Mary's Well

Mary's Well is reputed to be located at the site where, according to one Christian tradition associated with the apocryphal Gospel of James…

deror_avi / CC BY-SA 3.0

M

Yardenit baptism site

Yardenit, also known as the Yardenit Baptismal Site, is a baptism site located along the Jordan River in the Galilee region of northern…

N

Hatzor National Park

A UNESCO World Heritage site featuring the largest biblical-era archaeological mound in Israel. It preserves ruins of the Canaanite and Israelite city, including a sophisticated 9th-century BCE underground water system and a royal palace.