Jordan, Amman and surroundings: must see places

What to see in Amman and its surroundings

Situated in the north-central part of Jordan, Amman is the capital and the most populated city in the country. Amman is blessed with many historical landmarks, and it’s worth spending a couple of days enjoying its highlights and the surroundings. Visiting the city’s ancient sites is very easy because they are clustered in the downtown area, which sits at the bottom of four of Amman’s seven hills, or Jabal.

Amman best attractions

1.  The Citadel

The Amman Citadel rises over the Jordanian capital, where Roman, Byzantine, and early Islamic ruins coat the hillside. Its particular location will reveal incredible views of the seven hills that assemble Amman, above all during the sunset, when the sun colours the houses with its warm light. The most interesting spots are the Temple of Hercules, built between 162 and 166 AD and dedicated to Hercules is more significant than any of the temples in Rome; the Byzantine Church, a basilica built between the 5th and 6th centuries; the Umayyad Mosque, the remains of the Umayyad governor’s palace mosque dating from the 8th century; the Dome of the Vestibule, a modern recreation of the interior of the dome of the Umayyad Vestibule. Close to the Temple, there is the Jordan Archaeological Museum with its exposition of ancient finds.

2. The Roman Theatre

A 2nd-century restored amphitheatre built during Antoninus Pius’s reign,  part of the ancient  Roman city of Philadelphia that once stood on the site of today’s modern capital. The theatre itself is cut into the northern side of a hill to shelter the spectators from the sun’s fiercest heat and has a seating capacity of 6000. It is built in three tiers, the first tier, closest to the action, was reserved for the ruling class, the second tier for the military, and the third tier for the general public.

3. Al Bukharieh Souk

It’s the oldest local bazaar in Amman, and it is tucked away in an alley with little shops lining it left and right. It’s a beautiful slice of local life throughout the stalls and shops selling a wide array of spices, traditional Arabic delicacies, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables. The Souk stretches around the Grand Husseini Mosque, an Ottoman-style mosque rebuilt using striking pink-and-white stone in 1924 by the late King Abdullah I on the site of an ancient mosque built originally in 640 AD.

Amman surroundings

1. Jerash and Ajloun Castle

Only 1-hour drive from Amman is located Jerash, one of the best-preserved Graeco-Roman cities in the Middle East. As a Decapolis member, a Byzantine trading federation of ten towns, Jerash became a prosperous place, and many grand public works were undertaken. Today, incredible ruins remain of temples, agora, collonaded streets and theatres.

Only 30 minutes drive from Jerash, you’ll find the Castle of Ajloun. It was built by one of the Islamic governors under Saladin and was used as one of the principal bases in the crusading armies’ expulsion. The excellent preservation state makes Ajloun arguably the best example of Islamic military architecture from the crusading era.

2. Desert Castles

It is a group of early-Islamic buildings, Unesco World Heritage-listed,  dotted around the desert on the east side of Amman, the best of which are now easily accessible by car. Most of the desert castles can be visited over a half-day in a loop from Amman via Azraq. These structures are amongst the oldest in Jordan, dating from the 7th century, and had multiple uses, such as hunting lodges, caravan stations and trading centres.

The most remarkable and closer to Amman are Qasr Kharana, one of the most visited and well preserved;  Qusayr Amra, famous for its 8th-century frescoes of hedonistic scenes and Qasr al-Azraq castle, an imposing fort where T.E. Lawrence and Sharif Hussein bin Ali based themselves in the winter of 1917–18 during the Arab revolt against the Turks. 

If you have time is also worth visiting Umm Qais, known as Gadara in Classical times. It is another former Decapolis city but also features more recent Ottoman buildings and architecture. The most impressive feature of the city is its location. It sits on a ridge overlooking the Sea of Galilee, the Golan Heights and the River Jordan, a magnificent and historic vista. A difference from the other cities is that much of the classical Umm Qais was built in black basalt, which makes for impressive ruins – amongst the best of them are the theatre and a basilica courtyard dotted with black sarcophagi. The site is in the northern part of Jordan, 2 hours and a half drive from Amman.

Need to Know about Amman