Like Jordan itself, Amman is a modern creation, but one whose roots run deep into history. The hills of Downtown hosted the biblical capital of the Ammonites and the Roman city of Philadelphia before the Omayyad Arabs built a palace on the same well-defended hill-top. In the modern age, Amman only began to prosper in the early 1920s when Emir Abdullah made it the capital of Trans-Jordan. Today, it is a bustling, modern and forward-looking Arab city of over two million people.
2,125,000.
Ministry of Tourism, El-Mutanabbi Street, Jebel Amman (Third Circle), Tel: (06) 464 2311 .
Amman’s most interesting district for the visitor is the recently renovated Downtown, with its bustling markets and fascinating Roman ruins. More than anything, Amman is a town of hills (jebels) and, of these, the most historically important is Jebel el-Qalaa, which rises north of Downtown. This is the site of the Citadel, a Roman temple and the main city museum.
View of Amman
The backstreet souks (markets) around El-Malek Faisal, El-Hashemi and Quraysh streets form the commercial hub of Amman. Shops here stock everything from marinated olives to gold jewellery, while pastry stalls, falafel stands, and aromatic coffee and spice grinders also compete for the attention of passers-by. There are also several interesting souvenir stalls on El-Hashemi Street. The central King Hussein Mosque , built in 1924 on the site of a mosque erected in AD 640 by the caliph Omar, is the best attended in the city. Also nearby is the Roman Nymphaeum , built in AD 191 as a complex of pool and fountain, and dedicated to the nymphs. Jordan’s Department of Antiquities is currently excavating the Nymphaeum, and the site should have been restored to something like its original condition by 2010. A new National Museum is also due to open in Downtown in 2008.
winter: 8am–4pm Sat–Thu, 10am–4pm Fri; summer: 8am–7pm Sat–Thu, 10am–4pm Fri.
For thousands of years Jebel el-Qalaa has served as the fortified heart of Amman. The Ammonite capital of Rabbath Ammon was situated here but most of the remains visible today are part of what was an Omayyad Palace, completed around AD 750 and destined to last for only 30 years. The large complex includes an impressive audience hall, a colonnaded street, Byzantine basilica, large cistern and the residence of Amman’s local governor. The southern Roman Temple of Hercules, with its towering columns and ornately carved stonework, was built at the same time as the city’s Roman Theatre and offers fine views over the city.
summer: 8am–7pm Sat–Thu, 10am–4pm Fri; winter: 8am–4pm Sat–Thu, 10am–4pm Fri.
This small museum at the Citadel records over 8,000 years of Middle Eastern history. Finds include Neolithic skulls and elephant bones from the Jordan Valley, a collection of copper-plated Dead Sea scrolls and several Nabataean artifacts from Petra. The very modern-looking bug-eyed statues from Ain Gazal are over 8,500 years old. Look out also for the impressive doorway transported here from the Arab castle of Qasr el-Tuba in the Eastern Desert. Local finds include the graceful statue of Athena, from the nearby Roman Theatre, and the head of Tyche, the town god.
summer: 8:30am–7pm daily; winter: 8am–4pm Sat–Thu, 10am–4pm Fri.
Amman’s most obvious remnant from the past is its impressive Roman Theatre, dating from around AD 170 and with a seating capacity of around 6,000. It’s a fine place to sit, meet the locals and take in the city. The back rows of the theatre were added later and carved out of an existing necropolis. At the foot of the theatre are a Corinthian colonnade and the old Odeon (a small theatre or meeting hall). The nearby Hashemite Square is a popular hangout for local Jordanian families.
Roman Amphitheatre cut into the side of a hill that once served as a necropolis
summer: 9am–7pm Sat–Thu, 10am–4pm Fri; winter: 9am–5pm Sat–Thu, 10am–4pm Fri.
The vaults below the Roman Theatre house these two modest but interesting museums. The Folklore Museum has some traditional costumes, a Bedouin tent, fine examples of the rababa (a one-stringed musical instrument) and traditional coffee grinders. The second museum displays Circassian and Armenian silver jewellery, traditionally given to the bride on her wedding day, plus amulets made from Turkish coins and symbols representing the hands of Fatima. There are some fine mosaics from Jerash and the baptism site of Wadi el-Kharrar.
Although the majority of Amman’s places of interest are concentrated in the neighbouring Downtown and Jebel el-Qalaa districts, it is well worth exploring further afield. Just west of the centre, Jebel Amman is the city’s main hill, and is home to the Wild Jordan Centre and the landmark King Abdullah Mosque. West again, the upscale districts of Abdoun and, stretching to the north, Shmeisani boast the majority of Amman’s shops and restaurants. The city is quite spread out, so taxi is the best way to get around.
10am–7pm Sat–Wed, 10am–8pm Thu.
This art gallery, pleasant café and small garden dotted with archaeological remains, offer a tranquil escape from the nearby Downtown bustle. The rotating exhibits of contemporary art, regular lectures and occasional music concerts make this the best place to tap into Amman’s thriving arts scene. The main gallery is housed in a 1920s villa, next to the charming remains of a 6th-century Byzantine church, itself built on the site of a Roman temple. Above the church is the house in which TE Lawrence is said to have written sections of The Seven Pillars of Wisdom .
8am–11am & 12:30– 2pm Sat–Thu, 9am–10am Fri.
Amman’s most impressive Islamic monument is the King (El-Malek) Abdullah Mosque, completed in 1990 and dedicated by King Hussein to his grandfather. The soaring central blue dome covers the largest religious space in the city – the prayer hall can hold up to 7,000 worshippers. The cavernous, octagonal interior is decorated with fine Quranic calligraphy and several huge chandeliers. Remove your shoes when you enter the mosque.
Women should wear a headscarf (provided). The attached small Islamic museum contains coins and examples of Islamic decorative arts.
The distinctive blue dome that caps the striking King Abdullah Mosque
10am–7pm Wed, Thu, Sat–Mon, 10am–9pm Fri.
The former King Hussein was passionate about automobiles. This museum, 5 km (3 miles) northwest of the city centre, exhibits around 70 classic cars and motorcycles from his own personal collection. These range from a 1916 Cadillac to an array of more modern Lotus, Ferrari and Porsche sporting models, all driven by the King. Also on display is the Mercedes-Benz jeep that carried the casket in the funeral procession of King Hussein in 1999.
Jordan’s innovative Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) runs this cutting-edge centre, which focuses on Jordan’s natural heritage. The Wild Nature shop stocks products made in ecotourism initiatives throughout Jordan, including organic soaps and worked silver from Dana, Bedouin-made candles from the Dead Sea and hand-painted ostrich eggs from the Eastern Desert. The excellent café is one of the best places in town for a healthy lunch, and the terrace, in particular, affords fantastic views over Downtown.
This is also the place for information on ecotourism excursions to Jordan’s many national parks; possibilities include hiking and canyoning in Wadi Mujib, and the chance to see Arabian oryx in the wild at the Shaumari Nature Reserve.
