Jerash and Northern Jordan

A wealth of lesser-known and little-visited sites awaits the visitor in northern Jordan. All are easily accessible on day excursions from Amman.

Jerash is among the Middle East’s most beautiful and best-preserved ancient cities. The extensive ruins are around a 50-minute drive north of Amman, and a visit typically occupies half a day. Ancient Gerasa rose to prominence during Hellenistic times, but her golden age came in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD when the city was an important member of the Decapolis Confederation. The visit of Emperor Hadrian to Jerash in 129 AD sparked a wave of building activity, including an enormous monumental arch that has survived almost intact. The oval forum’s beautiful ionic colonnade is one of Jerash’s most distinctive features. The Cardo leads from here, lined by columns along its 800m length to the North Gate. Other notable monuments include two well-preserved theatres, the Hippodrome and the Nymphaeum. The best of Jerash’s monuments is the splendid Temple of Artemis. This vast building was designed to impress and stands on a high podium. The capitals of the 13 surviving columns are masterpieces of carving.

Dramatically situated overlooking Lake Tiberias and the Golan Heights, the Roman site of Umm Qais (ancient Gadara) is an alternative base for exploring Northern Jordan. However, accommodation is considerably more basic than in Amman. The city was part of the Decapolis League and is famous for its association with the biblical story of the Gadarine Swine. The surviving ruins mainly date from the 2nd century AD and make striking use of local black basalt and white limestone in their construction. The location of the site of Pella in the Jordan Valley is lovely – especially in the spring. This Roman city is built over a large area with several interesting churches. The Civic Complex Church, built around 400 AD, is the most striking and has a colonnade of 20 standing columns. Ajloun’s photogenic castle is a short drive from Jerash and was built by Saladin’s cousin Izz ad-Din Usama in the late 12th century. It is a rare example of a wholly Islamic castle built to check Crusader expansion from the west. Umm al-Jimal is the best-preserved of the ancient Hauran towns far north of Jordan and was built entirely from black basalt. The extensive ruins present a striking impression on the skyline and mainly date from the 6th century AD when the city was a small provincial centre. Its name in Arabic means ‘mother of camels’; you may see some when touring the site.

The impressive two-story Hellenistic palace, Qasr al-Abd, is a little west of Amman at Iraq al-Amir. The building was constructed using massive limestone blocks with delicate lion carvings on its façade. Nearby, at As-Salt, the former Ottoman administrative capital of the region, you will find lively traditional markets and attractive 19th-century buildings built from the local yellow limestone. As-Salt is on the UNESCO tentative heritage list and offers a window into northern Jordan’s traditional way of life.