Amman: A City Of Contrasts

Amman is a beautiful city of contrasts. For example, you'll experience both the ancient and the modern in the city; the location of the city is between the fertile Jordan Valley and the barren desert; modern skyscrapers share the same grounds as traditional coffee shops; and the busy town life with blaring horns blends with calls to prayer echoing from the minarets.

It is among the oldest cities in the world that has been inhabited continuously. In 1994, excavations revealed towers and homes that are believed to date back to the Stone Age. You will have plenty of evidence of the city's ancient past in different places. However, you are not left with glimpses of the past only.

There are many places that you can visit during your stay in Amman. The seven hills (jabals), among which the city is built, add a great charm and some special attractions. You will have a better insight of the past at the downtown area, where you will find most of the ancient traditions in a variety of ways, ranging from the buildings to the items you can buy on the streets. The downtown area is situated among four of the seven hills.

On top of Jabal al-Qala'a is the ancient citadel, which is a landmark that seems to tower over the city. Excavations from this place have pointed to the Byzantine, Roman and Islamic eras. The al-Qasr is the most striking building at the citadel. It has four vaulted chambers, an audience hall and a huge gateway. Although its name means 'the Palace', what it was exactly used for is still not clear. There is also a colonnaded street within the citadel complex. The ruins of the Umayyad Palace are towards the north.

Near the al-Qasr are the ruins of the relatively small Byzantine basilica that is dated around the sixth and seventh centuries. There are Corinthian columns that show where the church used to stand. Some one hundred meters towards the south is the restored Great Temple of Amman, which is believed to have been Hercules' temple.

If you would like to see some antiques from the prehistoric era, then Jordan Archeological Museum will serve you well. Some of the treasures found here include: remains of the Dead Sea Scrolls, four Iron Age sarcophagi and a copy of Mesha Stele.

The Roman Theater, with a capacity of 6,000 spectators, will transport you back to ancient Philadelphia when Antonius Pius reigned. There are two small museums at the site.

Built in Ottoman-style in 1924 at the site of an earlier mosque, King Hussein Mosque stands with towering minarets. The mosque, which is also called al-Husseini Mosque, is popular and frequently full of pedestrians.

Between the mosque and the citadel is the gold souq, (or gold market) where you will find many gold treasures on sale.