Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Shopping
Bookshop
(see 21)
22
Hanania Silver Shop
C4
(see 20)
(see 10)
B4
24
Rug Shops
C4
25
Spice
B3
Information
(see 1)
C4
Sights
Madaba is sprinkled over the top of a tell. The most interesting part of town is the old
quarter on top of the hill, rather than the new developments along the King's Highway.
Follow signs for the 'Visitors Centre', or any of the hotels, to reach the centre of town.
Most tourists file dutifully in and out of St George's Church and pay scant attention to
the rest of Madaba. This is good news for the discerning visitor who can pore over the
town's other stunning mosaics, untroubled by the crowds. A combined ticket to the Ar-
chaeological Park, Madaba Museum and Church of the Apostles costs JD2 (for one or all
sites). Children under 12 are free. There's no student discount. With the exception of St
George's Church, all the sites below are listed in a logical order from the visitors centre
and follow the same sequence as the walking tour.
CHURCH
St George's Church & Mosaic Map
(Talal St; admission JD1; 8am-5pm Sat-Thu Nov-Mar, 8am-6pm Sat-Thu Apr-Oct,
9.30am-5pm Fri year-round)
It's easy to understand why this rather modest 19th-century
Greek Orthodox church
has such a magnetic attraction. Imagine the excitement in 1884
when Christian builders came across the remnants of an old Byzantine church on the site
of their new construction. Among the rubble, having survived wilful destruction, fire and
neglect, the mosaic they discovered wasn't just another mosaic, it was one with ex-
traordinary significance: to this day, it represents the oldest map of Palestine in existence
and provides many historical insights into the region.
