Pilgerhaus Tabgha

In 1889, a first pilgrims’ guesthouse was established by the German Association of the Holy Land on the North-western shore of the Sea of Galilee. After an eventful history, this house was expanded and reopened in 2002 as Pilgerhaus Tabgha.

The house’s location on the shore of the Sea of Galilee invites its guests to rest. Combined with the close Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish, Tabgha is the ideal place to revive, to reflect one’s belief and to discover the holy places in Galilee.

A bit of history

When the hospice was founded in Tabgha in 1889, the accommodation of pilgrims was not its only goal. The Lazarist fathers, who were in charge of the house, worked in the pastoral and educational sectors as well. Many Christian schools in Galilee were founded by the fathers. The house also offered many local Bedouins the opportunity to learn and work in agriculture.

In 1936, precious mosaics from the 5th century AD were discovered in Byzantine church ruins close to the hospice. Nowadays these mosaics can be seen in the reconstructed Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish (opened in 1982), only a stone’s throw away from the Pilgerhaus Guesthouse.

Following the 1948 war, the old hospice was confiscated and turned into an Israeli youth hostel. The building was only returned to the German Association of the Holy Land in the 1990’s.

In 2001, the old buildings were renovated and expanded by modern parts. A lot of glass was used in the house’s new architecture providing our guests with a wonderful view on the landscape surrounding the Sea of Galilee.

Tabgha is revered as the place of the multiplication of loaves and fish. Its surroundings also suit very well the words of psalm 23: The Good Shepard leads to quiet waters and makes the hungry lie down in green pastures.

These are the traditions that Pilgerhaus Tabgha would like to continue.