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House of Calligraphy
You don’t have to be a linguistic scholar to enjoy the dynamic rhythms of Arabic script. Reinforcing Islamic heritage, the women in this workshop aim to educate visitors about Arab culture and there is even an opportunity to try your hand at calligraphy using a reed to write your n
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Alameleh Inscriptions
Thamudic and Nabataean inscriptions, depicting camel caravans, hunting warriors and various animals, are common throughout the Wadi Rum area. The Alameleh inscriptions, near the Seven Pillars of Wisdom and on the edge of the Diseh district, are some of the most comprehensive and be
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Crusader Church
Karak Castles main Crusader church was built with a sacristy down the stairs to the right (north). Note how in this lowered room there are arrow slits in the walls, suggesting that this originally formed part of the castles outer wall. The neighbouring tower is believed to have bee
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Painted House
One of the few buildings in Petra to sport a coloured interior, the walls of this Nabataean dwelling are painted in ochres, burnt umbers and green. One of many dwellings in the wadi, it is often kept locked to ensure its preservation. A more elaborately painted house can be seen at
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Siq Umm Tawaqi
A popular destination by 4WD is Siq Umm Tawaqi, a beautiful area with mature trees sprouting apparently from the rock face. Locals have carved the humorous likeness of TE Lawrence (complete with Arab headdress) and two other prominent figures of the Arab Revolt into a stone plinth
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Mamluk Keep
A keep is a refuge of last resort and it was here that the defences of Karak Castle were strongest, with 6.5m-thick walls, arrow slits on all four levels and a crenellated section at the top. The keep was built from 1260 by the Maluk sultan Beybars.From the keep, stairs lead down t
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Prison and Rosette Gallery
At the main Crusader church in Karak Castle you will find two corridors. The left (east) corridor leads past seven prison cells and the prison administration office. The right (west) corridor leads from the foot of the stairs through the Rosette Gallery , named after the carved ros
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The Biscuit House
Delicious Jordanian delicacies are prepared for sale in RSCN Nature Shops here in this cottage-industry kitchen. With an on-site cafe selling locally produced herbal teas, olive-oil crisps and molasses and tahini sandwich cookies, it’s tempting to stay until morning – quite possibl
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Abu Darwish Mosque
On top of Jebel al-Ashrafiyeh, this attractive mosque was built in 1961 with alternating layers of black and white stone. Non-Muslims are generally not permitted inside. Take service taxi 25 or 26 from Italian St in downtown to the mosque, or charter a taxi. It’s a very long and st
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Dar Al
Built in the late 19th century as the administrative centre of the Ottomans, this grand old building was subsequently used as the headquarters of the British administration in 1922. It was recently renovated and is tipped to open soon as a restaurant. In the meantime, the adjacent
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Odeon
On the eastern side of the forum stands a 500-seat odeon. Built in the 2nd century AD, it served mainly as a venue for musical performances. It was probably enclosed with a wooden roof or temporary tent roof to shield the performers and audience from the elements. Like its bigger s
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Spring of John The Baptist
Accessible on foot (hot in summer so take a hat and water), this is one of several places where John is believed to have carried out baptisms. Most baptisms were conducted in the spring-fed waters of Wadi al-Kharrar rather than in the Jordan River. The path leads through thickets o
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Basilica Terrace
The remains of this 6th-century church , with an unusual octagonal interior sanctum, are marked today by the remaining basalt columns. The church was destroyed by earthquakes in the 8th century. A bit of imagination is needed to reconstruct the colonnaded courtyard opposite, the we
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Rum Village & Village Plaza
Rum village, in the middle of Wadi Rum, houses a small community of Bedouin who have chosen to settle rather than continue a more traditional nomadic life. The village has a rest house, restaurants and a couple of grocery shops. It also has the last piece of tarmac before the deser
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Jebel Umm al
The deeply crevassed ‘Mother of Twenty’, a 20-domed mountain forming the east flank of Wadi Rum, is connected to the Seven Pillars of Wisdom formation. The mountain acquired its name, according to local legend, after a woman killed 19 suitors; she was outwitted by the 20th, so she
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Nabataean Museum
The small Petra Archaeological Museum, usually referred to as the Nabataean Musuem, has an interesting display of artefacts from the region, including mosaics. Explanations are in English. The museum, together with a shop selling detailed maps and fixed-price, handmade jewellery sp
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Ottoman Village
Surrounding the museum are the comprehensive ruins of an Ottoman village dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. Two houses, Beit Malkawi (now used as an office for archaeological groups) and the nearby Beit Heshboni , are still intact. An Ottoman mosque and the remains of a girls
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Rainbow Street
This street in Jebel Amman is a destination in itself. Ammanis come here every evening to promenade, and visit the many great cafes and restaurants – to see and be seen. There are plenty of shops if you come in the daytime (the area is good for souvenirs), but either way its best e
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Duke’s Diwan
This historic townhouse, built in 1924, has served as a post office (Ammans first), the Ministry of Finance and a hotel. Today, it has been restored with period furnishings by a prominent Jordanian businessman, who is also the duke of the village of Mukhaybeh. There’s not much to s
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Qatrana Castle
One of the few towns along the Desert Highway is Qatrana, a couple of kilometres north of the turn-off to Karak, and a former stop on the pilgrim road between Damascus and Mecca. The only reason to stop here (if you have your own transport) is to have a quick look at Qatrana Castle
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