The Baptism Site /Bethany Beyond The Jordan /Al- Maghtas
Home to several biblical cities, including Sodom, Gomorrah, and Zoar, the archaeological discoveries between the Jordan river and Tal al-Kharrar have identified this area as Biblical “Bethany Beyond the Jordan.”
- The site of John the Baptist’s settlement at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus was baptized, has long been known from the Bible (John 1:28 and 10:40) and from the Byzantine and medieval texts.
- Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Baptism Site commission welcomes pilgrims from all around the world seeking spiritual connection to biblical times, a glimpse of history or a chance to be baptized where Jesus was so many years ago.
- If that’s not enough biblical history for one area, the cave where Lot and his daughters took refuge after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is located just outside an area called Safi (Biblical Zoar).
Pella
Known in Arabic as Tabaqat Fahl, it is one of the most ancient sites in Jordan and a favourite of archaeologists, being exceptionally rich in antiquities. It seems to have been continuously occupied since Neolithic times, for some flints from this period have been found there; and some recent finds 2 km to the north even date to Paleolithic times, around 100,000 years ago.
Pella is one of the most visited Arabic destinations in Jordan.
Things to See
- Besides the excavated ruins from the Greco-Roman period, including a theatre;
- Artefacts of a Chalcolithic settlement from the 4th millennium BC;
- The remains of Bronze and Iron Ages walled cities, Byzantine churches and houses, an Early Islamic residential quarter; and
- A medieval mosque.
The Dead Sea
Deep in the Jordan Valley and 55 km, southeast of Amman is the Dead Sea, one of the most spectacular natural and spiritual landscapes in the whole world. It is the lowest body of water on earth, the lowest point on earth, and the world’s richest source of natural salts, hiding wonderful treasures accumulated throughout thousands of years.
The dead sea is a sensation and of the most visited destinations in Jordan.
Did you know that whoever enters the water immediately floats? You should keep in mind that it is still possible to drown in the Dead Sea. This happens when swimmers get caught in strong winds, flip over and swallow the salty water.
Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum is also known as the Valley of the Moon. A journey to Wadi Rum is a journey to another world; a vast, silent place, timeless and starkly beautiful. Wadi Rum is one of Jordan’s main tourist attractions being the most stunning desert cape in the World. You can camp from modest boutique to luxury desert accommodations here.
Uniquely shaped massive mountains rise vertically out of the pink desert sand, separating one dark mass from another in magnificent desert scenery of strange breathtaking beauty, with towering cliffs of weathered stone.
Now the home of several Bedouin tribes, Wadi Rum has been inhabited for generations. These hospitable and friendly desert people are settled in Wadi Rum in scattered nomadic camps throughout the area.
Aqaba
When sun and sea meet the charms and atmosphere of antiquity, the visitor can find himself at any time of the year at the 13th century Red Sea resort of Aqaba, which was the main port for shipments in ancient times from the Red Sea to the Far East.
Aqaba is one of the most visited destinations in Jordan.
For relaxation, water sports, and winter warmth, Aqaba is warm, sunny and inviting, fringed with palm trees, lapped by the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf of Aqaba, cooled by a steady northerly breeze, and ringed by mountains that change in colour with the change of the hours. Snorkelling, water skiing, windsurfing, para-sailing, fishing and many other water sports, including scuba diving, are just some of the popular activities to try.
Umm Qais
This is one of the most brilliant ancient Greco-Roman cities of the Decapolis, and according to the Bible, the spot where Jesus cast out the Devil from two demoniacs (mad men) into a herd of pigs (Mathew 8:28-34).
Archaeological surveys indicate that Gadara was occupied as early as the 7th century BC. The city peaked prosperity in the 2nd century A D. New collonaded streets, temples, theatres and baths sprouted.
A theatre, a collonaded street, a black basalt theatre, a Terrace, a church, a basilica, ruins of the Nymphaeum, a bath complex and a well-preserved Roman Mausoleum can be seen.
Ajloun
Here you will find the Castle of Ajloun, from which there is a splendid view westward into the Jordan Valley. It looks like a Crusader fortress, but Muslims built it in 1184-85 as a military fort and buffer to protect the region from invading Crusader forces. It is a superb example of Arab and Islamic architecture.
Umm Al Jimal
Rising out of Jordan’s northern basalt plain, beautiful Umm al-Jimal is a modern town and an ancient archaeological site, home to almost 2000 years of fascinating history and culture – Nabataean, Roman, Byzantine, Umayyad, Mamluk, Ottoman and Modern.
It was a thriving agricultural centre and a stop on the Hijaz to Damascus caravan route. One can explore over 150 well preserved ancient structures built in neighbourhoods along meandering alleys and around hosh-like plazas.
Umm al-Jimal is also a modern community with much to offer its visitors. Your visit to this town will enrich your archaeological experience with a still-living Bedouin cultural heritage in the downtown shops and residents’ homes.
Just 90 minutes from Amman by car, a visit to Umm al-Jimal makes an easy day trip that can include other similar sites in Northeast Jordan or even the Desert Castles.
The Desert Castles
Scattered throughout the black basalt desert, east of Amman, the Desert Castles, a testament to the flourishing beginnings of Islamic-Arab civilization, were integrated agricultural or trading complexes built mostly under the Umayyads (661-750 AD ).
Aside from being widely considered as the most spectacular and original monuments of early Islamic art, these complexes also served practical purposes as residences, caravanserais, and baths.
Certainly, worth visiting is Qasr al-Hallabat, Qasr Hammam as-Sarh, Qasr Amra en Qasr al-Harrana.
Mount Nebo
Mount Nebo is one of the most revered holy sites of Jordan, for this is where Moses was buried.
From the mountaintop, which is the highest point in the Moabite range, rising to about 800 meters, you can admire the dazzling view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, to the rooftops of Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Mount Nebo’s first church was constructed in the 2nd half of the 4th century to commemorate the place of Moses’ death.
Ma’in Hot Springs
Ma’in Hot Springs, the mineral-rich waters of these hyper- thermal waterfalls. The springs are located 264m below sea level in one of the most breathtaking desert oases in the world. These falls originate from winter rainfalls in the highland plains of Jordan and eventually feed the 109 hot and cold springs in the valley. This water is heated to temperatures of up to 63° Celsius by underground lava fissures as it makes its way through the valley before emptying into the Zarqa River. At Ma’in, the visitor could enjoy various professional services, including mud wraps, hydro-jet baths and showers, underwater massages, mud facials, electrotherapy and cosmetology treatments.
Kerak
It was the Crusaders who made Kerak famous. The fortress was built in 1142 on the remains of earlier citadels, which date back to Nabatean times. All the inhabitants of the town could gather for protection within the Citadel in times of danger. It was not until the end of 1188, after a siege of more than a year, that Kerak finally surrendered to the Muslims. Kerak is still a predominantly Christian town, and many of today’s Christian families trace their origins back to the Byzantines. There is a small but interesting museum in the castle, one of the finest of its type surviving today.
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