Caesarea, Israel
Caesarea Maritima
Herod's engineered harbour city where Peter baptised Cornelius and Paul was held before sailing for Rome.
Biblical significance
Caesarea Maritima was Herod the Great's statement in stone: a deep-water harbour built out into an open coast, a theatre facing the Mediterranean, an aqueduct running north along the dunes. For centuries it served as the Roman administrative capital of Judea, and it is the stage for some of the most consequential scenes in Acts.
Ad placeholder — articleMiddle
Add your AdSense IDs in src/lib/adsense.ts
Here Peter entered the house of the centurion Cornelius and the gospel crossed openly into the Gentile world. Here Paul defended himself before Felix, Festus and Agrippa, and from this harbour he was shipped to Rome. The Pilate inscription found in the theatre is the only stone yet found bearing the prefect's name.
Scripture
Loading the passage…
Open in YouVersion →Loading the passage…
Open in YouVersion →Loading the passage…
Open in YouVersion →Excerpts from the World English Bible. Full text opens in the YouVersion Bible app.
Best time to go
March to May and October to November — sea breeze, mild sun, thin crowds.
Visitor notes
National park with the theatre, harbour, hippodrome and Crusader town. Allow three hours; the aqueduct beach is a short drive north.
Coordinates
32.5019, 34.8917
On the map
Open the world atlasPlan your pilgrimage
Getting to Caesarea Maritima
Everything you need to turn this holy place into a journey. We may earn a commission from these partner links, at no extra cost to you.
Share this page
Ad placeholder — articleBottom
Add your AdSense IDs in src/lib/adsense.ts
Nearby in this category
5/5 SignificanceJerusalem, Israel
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The site venerated since the fourth century as both Golgotha and the empty tomb — six denominations, one roof, no easy peace.
5/5 SignificanceBethlehem, Palestine
Church of the Nativity
The oldest church in continuous daily use in the Christian world, standing over a limestone cave marked by a fourteen-pointed silver star.
5/5 SignificanceTiberias, Israel
Sea of Galilee
A freshwater lake 210 metres below sea level where most of Jesus' public ministry took place — and still recognisably itself.
Watch the site
Caesarea Maritima on film
This chapter of the documentary begins at Caesarea Maritima.
Watch on YouTubeFind it on Google Maps