Ancient Christians remembered the Sermon on the Mount in the area of Tabgha. Just opposite the Church of the Primacy, on the north side of the modern road, we can still see the ruins of the Church of the Sermon that the great correspondent Egeria described to her convent 1600 years ago (Wilkinson ). In 1938, with funds from Italy, the Franciscans built a new church higher up on the same hill in order to escape the noise of traffic.

Facing the lake with our backs to the church, we can see Tiberias on the western shore. To its right and nearer is the Arbel cliff, behind which (in the First Testament period) ran the Great Trunk Road from Egypt, reaching the lake south of Magdala. On the opposite, eastern shore, appear the Golan Heights, including the sites of two Decapolis cities: Hippos (a.k.a. Sussita) and Gadara, today Um Qis in Jordan). East of them ran the other great trunk road, the King's Highway. These roads are relevant for understanding the historical background to the Sermon on the Mount .

Modest dress required.