Magdala (Home of Mary Magdalene)
Magdala is the birthplace and hometown of Mary Magdalene, mother of Jesus. Magdala was a very important village in the Lower Galilee, known for its fishing, fine wool and ship building. Magdala decreased in importance after the construction of nearby Tiberias and was razed by the Romans after a Jewish revolt in the late 60s AD. In the 19th century, the area was revamped and an Arab village named al-Majdal was built on the location and in memory of Magdala. Today, the modern Israeli town of Migdal is located on the area around the site of Magdala, and acts as the primary entrance into remnants of Mary Magdalene’s once thriving hometown.
Architectural remains of Magdala have been periodically uncovered. A lighthouse and tower were recently discovered when the level of the Sea of Galilee declined. An ancient fisherman’s boat from Magdala was uncovered and is on view at Kibbutz Ginosar’s Yigal Alon Museum. The port remains underneath the lake’s shores.
The Galilee Study Center, run by the Jerusalem Cornerstone Foundation (an evangelical Christian ministry), is situated just minutes from the Magdala site, inviting Christian pilgrims to pray, study and find accommodation alongside Mary Magdalene’s place of birth.