Religious Site
Cave Church of St. Peter
KAYV CHURCH of saint PEE-ter · Modern Antakya, Hatay Province, Turkey · 36.2094° N, 36.1782° E
According to long-standing local tradition, this rock-cut cave on the slope of Mount Starius (Habib-i Neccar Mountain) was used as a meeting and worship place by the earliest Christian community of Antioch, the city where "the disciples were first called Christians" (Acts 11:26). Antioch was the base from which Paul and Barnabas launched their missionary journeys (Acts 13:1-3) and a leading center of the early church alongside Jerusalem and Rome.
Archaeology
The cave itself is a natural/rock-cut grotto with a rear tunnel traditionally said to have served as an escape route during persecution; none of this can be independently dated to the apostolic era, and the identification with Peter rests on tradition rather than excavation. The structure's visible façade was built by Crusaders during their occupation of Antioch (1098-1268) and substantially rebuilt in 1863 under Capuchin friars. The site suffered damage in the February 2023 earthquakes.
On a modern map
Further reading
More sites
Capstone Bible is a free interactive study app — a map of every place in this library, a zoomable timeline of biblical and church history, the Bible text with every name in it linked to its article, reading plans and personal notes.
Open Capstone Bible