We left Cairo for a 1 hr flight to Amman which is the capital of Jordan. Egypt was in North Africa and now Jordan is considered a Middle Eastern country. It is a small country with approximately 11.5 million people with 95% being Sunni Muslim and the rest Arab Christian. Overall it is considered a peaceful country and has been very welcoming of refugees from surrounding countries.
Amman is considered one of the safest cities in the Middle East, it is a modern city with an ancient history as can be seen by the ruins throughout the city. We ourselves felt very safe in the city and often used Uber to get around. It is reasonably priced with all the conveniences you would need, including beer…we laughed at the sign outside the liquor store…
Amman being a Muslim city has fairly liberal alcohol laws…liquor licenses can only be owned by Christians however there are many of them.
Amman is also known for its rooftop bars which are good places to watch the sunset over the city…
There are many modern houses and stores…
The city is built on seven hills…
In the center of the city you can see the more traditional life…
The Roman Theatre is located in the eastern part of the Jordanian capital, Amman. It is specifically at the foot of Jabal Al-Joufah, on a hill opposite the AmmanCitadel. A Greek inscription on one of the pillars indicates that this theater was built in honour of Emperor Antoninus Pius (138–161 CE).
The large and steeply raked structure could seat about 6,000 people: built into the hillside, it was oriented north to keep the sun out of the eyes of the spectators.
We visited early in the morning with few people around and were very impressed with the size and condition of the theatre and that is still used as an event venue to this day!
The original columns are still standing..
Another landmark of Amman is the Citadel located on top of the a hill in the center of the city…
The Amman Citadel, located in the heart of modern-day Amman, is an impressive site that helps tell the story of this region’s layered heritage.
Central to Amman, the Citadel dominates one of the seven jebels—or hills—that make up the capital city of Jordan. Known locally as Jebel al-Qal’a, the site boasts the remains of a Roman temple, a Byzantine church, and an Umayyad palace, along with several other features of historical interest.
During the years of 1 Century BC to 5 century AD, Amman then called Philadelphia was an important city of the Roman Empire.
The Citadel’s Roman temple, the Great Temple of Amman, was one of the principal monuments of Amman during the classical period. An inscription dates the temple’s construction to the term of the Roman governor Geminius Marcianus (A.D. 161–166). The restored columns and bases, which notably stood only at the front of the temple (and not also along the sides as they did in some other Roman temples), measure 13.5 meters (45 feet) tall. The ancient architects, and modern restoration team, had to stack five or six column drums, each weighing up to 11 tons, to create, or re-create, each column.
The Mosque is also an interesting site as it was one of the first mosques established in the region when the Muslims came to the region…
With a beautiful wooden dome…such a peaceful place.
The Roman Theatre from the Citadel…
Thinking about all this history…
So this is a little glimpse of Amman, we had no idea what to expect but really like the city and it is more than we imagined.
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