Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
JERASH & AROUND
Often referred to as the 'Pompeii of Asia', the ruins at Jerash (known in Roman times as
Gerasa) are one of Jordan's major attractions, and one of the Middle East's best examples
of a Roman provincial city. Remarkably well preserved through the centuries by the dry
desert air, Jerash comprises a collection of triumphal arches, two amphitheatres, a hippo-
drome where live chariot races are conducted each day, temples and a spectacular colon-
naded forum. Whether you're an aspiring archaeologist, an admirer of the ancients, or
simply a visitor looking for a morning's diversion, the ruins at Jerash cannot fail to im-
press.
Although the ruins are the undoubted key attraction in the area, there is more to Jerash
(which also comprises a thriving modern town) and the surrounding area than just the ru-
ins. Nearby Ajloun, for instance, has a grand castle and offers hiking trails, picnic oppor-
tunities and lots of places to buy fresh fruit from the surrounding hillside orchards. As
such, although Jerash is usually visited as a day trip from Amman, there's more than
enough of interest in the area to warrant at least one overnight stop.
Jerash
02 / POP 123,190 / ELEV 618M
Arriving in the modern town of Jerash today, with its provincial streets and small market
gardens, there's little to suggest its illustrious past. But the moment you cross from the new
town into the ancient city boundaries, marked by the imposing Hadrian's Arch, it becomes
immediately apparent that this was once no ordinary backwater but a city of great wealth
and importance. And how did Jerash, which was never on a major trade route, come to be
so important? The answer lies in the soil. Whatever route you take to reach the town of Jer-
ash, and at whatever time of year, you will pass the ubiquitous fruit stalls that characterise
the area. Figs, apples, plums, berries, and most especially olives all grow prodigiously in
the surrounding hillsides and the surplus of crops helps the local farming communities to
prosper just as in ancient times.
Jerash is cleaved in two by a deep and cultivated wadi. Today, as in Roman times, the
bulk of the town's inhabitants live on the eastern side of the wadi. The walled city on the
west side of the wadi, graced with grand public monuments, baths and fountains, was re-
served for administrative, commercial, civic and religious activities. The two were once
linked by causeways and processional paths and magnificent gates marked the entrance.
