Capernaum, or Kfar Nahum (the Village of Nahum) in Hebrew, was a large town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is frequently mentioned in the New Testament in association with the life of Jesus. Jesus moved to Capernaum from Nazareth (Matthew 4:13). At Capernaum Jesus called his first disciples, Simon Peter, his brother Andrew and James and John, the sons of Zebedee (Matthew 4:18-22). Jesus taught in the synagogue at Capernaum (John 6:24-59). He seems to have lodged in Peter’s house, healing and teaching (Mark 1:1-12, 1:29-34; Luke 4:38-44). After Jesus left Capernaum he condemned it, with Chorazin and Bethsaida, for lack of repentance (Matthew 11:20-24; Luke 10:13-15).
Going from middle left to lower right in this aerial view, we see, beside the lake, the ruins of an eight-sided church of the fifth century C.E., a block of ancient houses and a partially reconstructed synagogue of the early Byzantine period (fourth and fifth centuries). A wall at the lower left marks the boundary between the property of the Roman Catholic Franciscan order to the right and of the Greek Orthodox church to the left, which are being excavated separately. This view shows only a small portion of the ancient city.
For another aerial view of Capernaum, NT59: Capernaum, Arial View of Synagogue and Excavations.