Visit Jerash, Jordan – for Rome away from Rome!

Close to the capital city of Jordan, Amman, lies the beautiful city of Jerash, a very popular must-do for tourists.

A beautiful city, its golden age came under Roman rule, during which time it was known as Gerasa, and the site is now generally acknowledged to be one of the best-preserved Roman provincial towns in the world!

Hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over the past 70 years, Jerash reveals a fine example of the grand, formal provincial Roman urbanism that is found throughout the Middle East, comprising paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, handsome theatres, spacious public squares and plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates.

A close second to Petra on the list of favourite destinations in Jordan, Jerash boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years. Jerash lies on a plain surrounded by hilly wooded areas and fertile basins. Conquered by General Pompey in 63 BC, it came under Roman rule and was one of the ten great Roman cities of the Decapolis League.

Beneath its external Graeco – Roman veneer, Jerash also preserves a subtle blend of east and west. Its architecture, religion and languages reflect a process by which two powerful cultures meshed and coexisted – The Graeco-Roman world of the Mediterranean basin and the traditions of the Arab Orient.

The modern city of Jerash can be found to the east of the ruins. While the old and new share a city wall, careful preservation and planning has seen the city itself develop well away from the ruins so there is no encroachment on the sites of old.

You might also like

Destinations

Israel Ministry of Tourism to conduct four city roadshow in India

Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) has announced a four city roadshow in the months of July and August in India in alignment with its plan to increase Indian arrivals to

Aviation

Emirates Skywards marks milestone with 20 million members

Emirates Skywards, the award-winning loyalty programme of Emirates airline, has reached 20 million members. To celebrate this major milestone, Emirates Skywards will be celebrating with its members. Those travelling from

Slider

Railways to show green signal to a train in Andaman and Nicobar

240-km track from Port Blair to Diglipur will benefit tourists, defence forces. A 240-KM broad-gauge railway line connecting two major islands, with bridges and stations along the coast, will be