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Tell Hesban
Amateur archaeologists will like Tell Hesban, 9km north of Madaba. Over the centuries this strategic hill has been a Bronze Age settlement, an Amorite capital (900–500 BC), a Hellenistic fortress (198–63 BC), a Roman settlement called Esbus (63 BC–AD 350), a Byzantine ecclesiastica
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Cave of Seven Sleepers
The legend of the ‘seven sleepers’ has several parallels throughout literature. It involves seven Christian boys who were persecuted by the Roman Emperor Trajan, then escaped to a cave and slept there for 309 years. This is one of several locations (the most famous being Ephesus in
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Lawrence’s Spring (Ain Ash
This spring, on the edge of the open sands, is a regular stop on the 4WD circuit. Alternatively, it can be reached on a soft sand hike from the Rest House; the walk takes about 1½ hours return. Look for a white water tank at the opening of Wadi Shallalah. After the tank, a path cli
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Darat al
On the hillside to the north of the downtown area, this cultural haven is dedicated to contemporary art. The main building features a small art gallery with works by Jordanian and other Arab artists, an art library, and workshops for Jordanian and visiting sculptors and painters. A
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Cardo Maximus
Jerash’s superb colonnaded cardo maximus is straight in the way that only a Roman road can be. This is one of Jerash’s great highlights and the opportunity to walk along its entire 800m length from North Gate to forum well rewards the effort.Built in the 1st century AD and complete
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Humaiyma Ruins
Pressed up against the cliffs on the opposite side of the highway to Wadi Rum is the seldom-visited Bedouin district of Humaiyma. Curious visitors who notice the brown sign off the main Aqaba Hwy and struggle along the badly potholed access road are rewarded with a surprisingly lar
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Church of St Cosmos & St Damianus
When Christianity became the official state religion under Emperor Constantine in AD 324, all Roman monuments that were tainted by so-called pagan practices were abandoned. These structures were subsequently pilfered for building materials as Roman cities competed with one another
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Colonnaded Street
Downhill from the Theatre, the Colonnaded Street marks Petra’s city centre. The street was built around AD 106 and follows the standard Roman pattern of an east–west decumanus , but without the normal cardo maximus (north–south axis). Columns of marble-clad sandstone originally lin
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Gadara
In the northwest corner of Jordan, in the hills above the Jordan Valley, are the ruins of the Decapolis city of Gadara (now called Umm Qais). Although the site is far less complete than Jerash, it is nonetheless striking due to the juxtaposition of Roman ruins with an abandoned Ott
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Khirbet Tannour Temple
The neglected ruins of the 2000-year-old Nabataean temple of Khirbet Tannour are worth the hike up the hill for the view, if nothing else. A famous statue of Nike was found here, a copy of which is housed in Amman’s National Archaeological Museum; the original is in Cincinnati. A s
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Dibeen Forest Reserve
Established in 2004, this small area (around 8 sq km) of Aleppo pine and oak forest is a nature reserve. Managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), Dibeen is representative of the wild forests that once covered much of the country’s northern frontiers but w
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Madaba Archaeological Park I & Virgin Mary Church
Some careful restoration and excavation in the early 1990s led to the creation of this open-air museum which houses a collection of ruins and fine mosaics from the Madaba area. The Church of the Virgin Mary is also included in the site; built in the 6th century and unearthed beneat
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Abila (Quwayliba)
Lying just 10km north of Irbid, between the twin hills of Tell Abila and Tell Umm-al-Amad, are the ancient remains of the Decapolis city of Abila . At first glance you’d be forgiven for thinking that this site could only be enjoyed by the committed ruin hunter or the aspiring archa
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Yarmouk Battleground
If you have a car and are intrigued to know why all roads out of Irbid seem to lead to Yarmouk battleground, then follow the signs northeast towards the village of Saham Al Kfarat. The site is of great significance to Muslim Arabs as this was where, on the 12th of August in AD 636,
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Theatre
Originally built by the Nabataeans (not the Romans) over 2000 years ago, the Theatre was chiselled out of rock, slicing through many caves and tombs in the process. It was enlarged by the Romans to hold about 8500 (around 30% of the population of Petra) soon after they arrived in A
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Mujib Biosphere Reserve
This wonderful reserve, which ranges from an altitude of 900m above sea level to 400m below, was originally established by the RSCN for the captive breeding of the Nubian ibex, but it also supports a surprising variety of over 400 species of plants (including rare orchids), 186 spe
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Temple of Artemis
Dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of hunting and fertility and the daughter of Zeus and Leto, this temple at Jerash was built between AD 150 and 170, and flanked by 12 elaborately carved Corinthian columns (11 still stand). The construction is particularly impressive given that lar
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Dana Biosphere Reserve
Dana Biosphere Reserve is one of Jordan’s hidden gems. The focal point is the charming 15th-century stone village of Dana, which dangles beneath the King’s Highway on a precipice, commanding exceptional views of the valley below. The reserve extends to the valley floor, the centre
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Dead Sea Panoramic Complex Lookout
Walk among the cacti to this lookout, high above the Dead Sea, then watch raptors wheel in the wadis below and you will have to pinch yourself to think that you are standing at sea level. This wonderful museum and restaurant complex offers breathtaking views, especially on a crisp
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Qasr Burqu
The Romans built the small fort at Burqu to protect a seasonal lake that provided precious water in a highly arid region. They helped conserve the water (run-off from the Haurun-Druze Plateau) by building a dam in the 3rd century, thereby securing water for caravans heading between
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