Magdala

For other uses, see Magdala (disambiguation).

Magdala
מגדלא (Jewish Palestinian Aramaic)
Aerial view of the modern site of Magdala, looking south
Location in Israel
32°49′30″N 35°30′56″E
Location	Galilee, Israel
Region	Levant

Magdala (Aramaic: מגדלא, romanized: Magdalā, lit. 'Tower'; Hebrew: מִגְדָּל, romanized: Migdál; Ancient Greek: Μαγδαλά, romanized: Magdalá) was an ancient Jewish city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, 5 km (3 miles) north of Tiberias. In the Babylonian Talmud it is known as Magdala Nunayya (Aramaic: מגדלא נוניה, lit. 'Tower of the Fishes'), and which some historical geographers think may refer to Tarichaea (lit. 'the place of processing fish'). It is believed to be the birthplace of Mary Magdalene. Until the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the Palestinian village of al-Majdal (Arabic: المجدل) stood at the site of ancient Magdala. The Israeli municipality of Migdal now extends into the area.