Tiberias, located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee,
is a popular health and holiday resort as well as a Jewish and Christian
pilgrimage destination.
The Sea of Galilee, Yam Kinneret in Hebrew is one of the most well known
bodies of water in the world. The history of Tiberias shows that this location
has
been sought after since ancient times, and is no less popular today. Here
Jesus delivered his famous sermons and performed his first miracles. Tiberias
sits
along the 32-mile shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. The Sea lies roughly 650
feet below sea level and is 14 miles long and 7 1/2 miles wide at its widest
point. The Sea of Galilee is an important source of fresh water for the entire
country. While called a Sea, it is actually a lake, and lies on the ancient "Via
Maris," a route that linked Egypt and Mesopotamia. Tiberias is the heart
of the Galilee, posed on a mountain slope, beautifully looking over to the
Golan Heights at the other side of the lake.
City of History
Tiberias has been a popular destination for tourists
for more than 2,000 years. In the Roman times, this thriving recreation spa,
built around 17
natural mineral
hot springs, welcomed visitors from many parts of the ancient world.
The city was built by Herod Antipas and was named Tiberias in honor of the
Roman Emperor
Tiberius. Around Tiberias occurred many of the biblical stories and many
famous sites are located nearby: Capernaum, home to at least five of
the twelve disciples,
is the lakeside town where Jesus preached. This is where Jesus told his
followers, "Follow
me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The Church of the Beatitudes
is said to be where the Sermon of the Mount was preached. Further north
is the town of Tabgha, the traditional site of the Miracle of the Multiplication
of the Loaves and the Fishes. (Matt. 14: 13-21). Here Jesus fed 5,000
followers from five loaves of bread and two fish, and today is marked
by the Church
of
Multiplication. The nearby lakeside town of Magdala is the hometown of
Mary Magdalene, and of course the Sea of Galilee is where Jesus walked
on the water.
The leader of the great Jewish revolt against the Romans,
Rabbi Ben Akiba (50-137 CE), was put on trial here in Tiberias. He
was convicted and
sentenced to death
in 137 CE. His mausoleum is in the necropolis of Tiberias, and can
still be seen. In the Mishnaic and Talmudic period, Tiberias was an important
spiritual center. The Mishna was completed in Tiberias in 200 C.E.
under
the supervision
of Rabbi Yehuda Ha-Nasi ("Judah the Prince"). 200 years later
the Palestinian Talmud was also composed at Tiberias (420 CE)
Today,
Tiberias is a city of 30,000 inhabitants, and is still a major tourist
attraction both for its natural beauty and for its historical
sites.
Visiting the City
The
modern city of Tiberias is easily reached by road from Tel-Aviv (2 hours),
Haifa (1 hour) or Jerusalem (2 hours). Accommodation
is abundant
and many
different types of hotels, B&B, and hostels are available.
The Kibbutzim and villages around the Sea of Galilee also offer
accommodation, most in beautiful and serene surroundings. The
west side of the Kinneret is stonier and not all beaches are
easy to reach. The eastern side has sandy beaches
and
offers water
sports of all kinds. In the afternoons a strong eastern wind
starts blowing over
the region, so be cautious when bathing. The Golan Heights and
the Northern Galilee
regions are easily visited from Tiberias.
Tiberias, located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee,
is a popular health and holiday resort as well as a Jewish and Christian
pilgrimage destination.
The Sea of Galilee, Yam Kinneret in Hebrew is one of the most well known
bodies of water in the world. The history of Tiberias shows that this location
has
been sought after since ancient times, and is no less popular today. Here
Jesus delivered his famous sermons and performed his first miracles. Tiberias
sits
along the 32-mile shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. The Sea lies roughly 650
feet below sea level and is 14 miles long and 7 1/2 miles wide at its widest
point. The Sea of Galilee is an important source of fresh water for the entire
country. While called a Sea, it is actually a lake, and lies on the ancient "Via
Maris," a route that linked Egypt and Mesopotamia. Tiberias is the heart
of the Galilee, posed on a mountain slope, beautifully looking over to the
Golan Heights at the other side of the lake.
Tiberias has been a popular destination for tourists
for more than 2,000 years. In the Roman times, this thriving recreation spa,
built around 17
natural mineral
hot springs, welcomed visitors from many parts of the ancient world.
The city was built by Herod Antipas and was named Tiberias in honor of the
Roman Emperor
Tiberius. Around Tiberias occurred many of the biblical stories and many
famous sites are located nearby: Capernaum, home to at least five of
the twelve disciples,
is the lakeside town where Jesus preached. This is where Jesus told his
followers, "Follow
me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The Church of the Beatitudes
is said to be where the Sermon of the Mount was preached. Further north
is the town of Tabgha, the traditional site of the Miracle of the Multiplication
of the Loaves and the Fishes. (Matt. 14: 13-21). Here Jesus fed 5,000
followers from five loaves of bread and two fish, and today is marked
by the Church
of
Multiplication. The nearby lakeside town of Magdala is the hometown of
Mary Magdalene, and of course the Sea of Galilee is where Jesus walked
on the water.
The leader of the great Jewish revolt against the Romans,
Rabbi Ben Akiba (50-137 CE), was put on trial here in Tiberias. He
was convicted and
sentenced to death
in 137 CE. His mausoleum is in the necropolis of Tiberias, and can
still be seen. In the Mishnaic and Talmudic period, Tiberias was an important
spiritual center. The Mishna was completed in Tiberias in 200 C.E.
under
the supervision
of Rabbi Yehuda Ha-Nasi ("Judah the Prince"). 200 years later
the Palestinian Talmud was also composed at Tiberias (420 CE)
The
modern city of Tiberias is easily reached by road from Tel-Aviv (2 hours),
Haifa (1 hour) or Jerusalem (2 hours). Accommodation
is abundant
and many
different types of hotels, B&B, and hostels are available.
The Kibbutzim and villages around the Sea of Galilee also offer
accommodation, most in beautiful and serene surroundings. The
west side of the Kinneret is stonier and not all beaches are
easy to reach. The eastern side has sandy beaches
and
offers water
sports of all kinds. In the afternoons a strong eastern wind
starts blowing over
the region, so be cautious when bathing. The Golan Heights and
the Northern Galilee
regions are easily visited from Tiberias.