Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Amman
4
Like Jordan itself, Amman is a modern creation,
but one whose roots run deep into history. The
hills of Downtown hosted the biblical capital of
the Ammonites and the Roman city of Philadelphia
before the Omayyad Arabs built a palace on the same
well-defended hill-top. In the modern age, Amman
only began to prosper in the early 1920s when Emir
Abdullah made it the capital of Trans-Jordan.
T Today,
it is a bustling, modern and forward-looking Arab
city of over two million people.
Exploring Central Amman
Amman's most interesting
district for the visitor is
the recently renovated
Downtown, with its bustling
markets and fascinating
Roman ruins.
More than any-
thing, Amman is
a town of hills
(jebels)
and, of
these, the most
historically important
is Jebel el-Qalaa,
which rises north of
Downtown. This is
the site of the Citadel,
a Roman temple and
the main city museum.
The central
King Hus
Mosque
, built in 1924
site of a mosque erec
AD 640 by the caliph
is the best attended i
city. Also nearby
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Downtown
The backstreet souks
(markets) around El-Malek
Faisal, El-Hashemi and
Quraysh streets form the
commercial hub of Amman.
Shops here stock everything
from marinated olives to gold
jewellery, while pastry stalls,
falafel stands, and aromatic
coffee and spice grinders also
compete for the attention of
passers-by. There are also
several interesting souvenir
stalls on El-Hashemi Street.
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in Downtown in 2008
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Citadel
Jebel el-Qalaa.
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el-Qalaa has served a
fortified heart of Amm
Ammonite capital of Rabbath
Ammon was situated
most of the remains v
par
Pl
around AD 750 and destined
to last for only 30 years. The
large complex includes an
impressive audience hall, a
colonnaded street, Byzantine
basilica, large cistern and the
residence of Amman's local
governor. The southern
Roman Temple of Hercules,
with its towering columns and
ornately carved stonework,
was built at the same time
as the city's Roman Theatre
(see p213)
and offers fine
views over the city.
t of
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Ruins of the Temple of Hercules at the Citadel
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp262-3 and pp279-80
