This operational early-20th-century Roman Catholic Church has been transformed into an intriguing destination for visitors and pilgrims by the restoration of the ancient sites upon which the church sits. The gem of the complex is the Acropolis Museum , housed in the ancient, vaulted underbelly of the church. Here, an ancient well dating to the Moabite era, 3000 years ago, is still operational.
The church façade was built with ancient stones, and Roman columns with Corinthian capitals dot the courtyard. In the 19th-century chapel, which now acts as a visitors centre and gift shop, there is a fascinating exhibition of photographs dating from 1902 to 1911. Spare some time and energy to scale the belfry. The last section involves steep metal ladders with handrails and a bit of dexterity manoeuvring around the bells and bell ropes, but it’s worth the effort for the best panorama in Madaba.
The church is closed to visitors during Mass and for occasional events on Sundays. Handcrafted roseries from the Holy Land are on sale and there are spotlessly clean toilets in the visitors centre.
