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Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee)
Nature spots and beaches surround the Sea of Galilee, but there is also a lot of biblical, religious and historical sites in the vicinity. We mention here a few. Korazin
Korazin, or the city of Korazim, was a Jewish settlement from the
Second Temple period, known for excellent wheat grown by the
residents. Together with Bethsaida, it was mentioned in the New
Testament (Matthew 11:21).
Today, the basalt ruins of Korazin are a small but interesting
national park, a few kilometers from the Kinneret northern shore.
A very interesting archaeological object in Korazin is the black
basalt synagogue, built probably in the fifth century A.D.
You can see columns, decorated stone arches and even an unusual
basalt armchair, called "Chair of Moses". Other interesting
remains include a dwelling house with a lot of arches,
a part of an aqueduct, a ritual bath etc.
KursiKursi, on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, is a recently uncovered archaeological site. Many Christian pilgrims visit Kursi because of a tradition saying that the "miracle of the swine" occured here. There are ruins of a large Byzantine monastery with a mosaic floor depicting birds and fruit in a simple ornament. The site is also a national park.Karnei Hittim
The short trail to Karnei Hittim starts at the highway leading
westwards from Tiberias. Karnei Hittim is a low basalt hill with two
rocks on the top and a sort of crater between them. This is the site
where
Saladin defeated the Crusaders in 1187. In this crucial battle,
the sultan's warriors set fire to the bush, which was fatal to
armored Crusaders' knights. The top of the hill affords a spectacular
view of Mt. Arbel and the Kinneret.
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