Sometimes called “the town of Jesus,” the ancient village of Capernaum on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee was rediscovered in 1838. In the 1960s, the Franciscans restored several old synagogues and churches and also found the “House of St. Peter,” which apparently served as a meeting place for early Christians. In it lay many fragments of plaster bearing Christian symbols and inscriptions including the names of Jesus, Simon, and Peter.
A modern church was built atop the ruins of the house in the 1990s, with a glass floor in the middle so visitors can see the original church below.
The area was made into a national park, and the Israel Parks and Nature Authority built a dock where tourists can disembark after sailing to Capernaum from Tiberias or Ein Gev.