Tourist Attractions in Amman

Citadel Hill

From its position on top of a hill overlooking the city, the Citadel stands testament to the history of Amman, with its ancient ruins and excavated relics, alongside those from throughout the country, housed in the Jordan Archaeological Museum. It is the site of the ancient capital Rabbath-Ammon and numerous excavations have revealed Stone Age remains as well as those from the Roman to the Islamic periods.

The site contains several structures including the impressive Omayyad Palace (al-Qasr), a small Byzantine basilica and what was once the Temple of Hercules, the Great Temple of Ammam. Also on the site is the Jordan Archaeological Museum, which has an excellent collection of artefacts from Jordan dating back to the earliest settlement in the region over 700,000 years ago. The Dead Sea Scrolls, Iron Age sarcophagi and a copy of the Mesha Stele are its most important exhibits.

Address: Jabal al-Qala’a; Telephone: (0)6 463 8795 (museum); Opening time: Museum: Daily 9am to 5pm (winter), 9am to 7pm (summer); Friday hours are 10am to 6pm

Roman Theatre

Below the Citadel is the magnificent Roman amphitheatre, an impressive relic from ancient Philadelphia that is cut into the hill and can seat up to 6,000 people. The theatre is still used occasionally for events today. Two cultural museums form part of the complex: the Jordan Folklore Museum, which has exhibits on traditional life, and the Museum of Popular Traditions with traditional costumes and mosaics from 4th to 6th century Jordan churches.

Address: Quraysh Street, Downtown; Opening time: Jordan Folklore Museum: daily 9am to 5pm; Fridays 10am to 4pm. Museum of Popular Traditions: 9am to 5pm; closed Tuesdays

Church of St. George

The Greek Orthodox Church of St George is home to Madaba’s main attraction and most famous mosaic, the celebrated 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land. Millions of pieces of coloured stone embedded on the church floor create a vivid picture of Jerusalem and its holy sites, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dead Sea, Jericho and the Jordan River. It is the earliest surviving original map of the region and was laid around 560 AD.

Adress: (Madaba Visitor’s Centre); Opening time: Daily 8.30am to 6pm, Friday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm; Admission: A small donation is requested