District: Northern
Situation and characteristics
The site of Chorazin (Korazim), a small Jewish town which is mentioned in the New Testament, lies 4km/2.5mi north of the Sea of Galilee, 2km/1.25mi east of the road from Tiberias to Rosh Pinna. It is reached by turning off the road to Rosh Pinna 19km/12mi north of Tiberias
into an asphalted side road on the right which leads to the kibbutz of Almagor. In 2km/1.25mi, after passing a road on the left to the new settlement of Chorazin, the site of ancient Chorazin can be seen on the right.
History
Chorazin features in the New Testament as one of the cities upbraided by Jesus for their lack of faith (Matthew 11,21). The remains of buildings to be seen today belong to a town built in the second century A.D. on the site of an earlier settlement. The town prospered, and in the late second or early third century could afford to build a synagogue. In the early fourth century, however - as the result either of an earthquake or of a conflict between Jews and Christians - the town was destroyed and thereafter remained unoccupied until the 16th century, when a small Jewish community was established here. Later they were joined by Muslims, who left the village in the mid 20th century.