About Amman
Amman Map
Click to view Amman Map from Amman.com website
Transportation
The city's main airport, Queen Alia
International Airport, is situated about 30 minutes south of Amman and
hosts the majority of the air travel to and from the country.By land,
the city has frequent bus connections to other cities in Jordan as well
as to major cities in neighboring countries; the latter are also served
by service taxis. Internal transport is served by a number of bus routes
and taxis. Service taxis, which most often operate on fixed routes, are
readily available and inexpensive. The main two bus and taxi stations
are Abdali (near the King Abdullah Mosque, the Parliament and Palace of
Justice) and Raghadan (near the Roman Amphetheatre in Downtown). The
city can suffer from considerable traffic congestion at peak hours,
especially during summer months when affluent vacationers from the Gulf
region summer in Amman to take advantage of its relatively mild weather.
Tourism
Much of Amman's tourism is
focused in the older downtown area, which is centered around the old
Souk (a colorful traditional market) and the King Hussein Mosque. The
downtown area (known locally as the Balad) has been completely dwarfed
by the sprawling urban areas that surround it. Despite the changes, much
remains of its old character. For those seeking the atmosphere of the
Old City, it is best to venture to the district east of Jabal Amman.
There, in the bustle of daily life, you can explore the capital's
greatest souqs, fine museums, ancient constructions, monuments, and
cultural sites.
The Citadel hill of Amman,
known as Jabal el Qala, has been inhabited for centuries, important as a
military and religious site. It dates back to Roman and Byzantine times,
and later work was carried out in the early Islamic era. Remains
unearthed at the northern and eastern ends of the Citadel, possibly date
back to the Bronze Age. The Citadel also is home to the Temple of
Hercules which is said to have been constructed under the Roman imperial
ruler Marcus Aurelius who reigned from AD 161-180, is similar to the
Temple of Artemis in Ephesus.
Since Amman resembles Rome, as
it is situated on seven hills, the city was a favorite place for Roman
soldiers and officials. Behind the Roman forum stands a Roman
theatre—the largest theatre in Jordan—with room for 6,000 spectators.
Thought to have been built between AD 138 and AD 161 by the Roman
Emperor Antoninus Pius, it is constructed into the side of the mountain
and is still used for sport displays and cultural events.
Amman is also home to some of
the grandest mosques in the Middle East, although they compare less
favorably to the ones to be found in Istanbul, Turkey. The newest of
these is the enormous King Abdullah I Mosque, built between 1982 and
1989. It is capped by a magnificent blue mosaic dome beneath which 3,000
Muslims may offer prayer. The most unusual mosque in Amman is the Abu
Darweesh Mosque atop Jabal Ashrafieh (the highest point in the city). It
is covered with an extraordinary black and white chequered pattern and
is unique to Jordan. It is striking and visible from quite some
distance. In contrast, the interior is totally free of the black and
white scheme. Instead, there are light colored walls and Persian
carpets. This religious building was erected by one of Amman's
Circassian immigrants.
Unfortunately, a lone, deranged
gunman attacked Western tourists during a guided trip to the downtown
Roman amphitheatre in September, 2006, shooting five of them, one
fatally. The man was immediately apprehended, and claimed to have acted
in response to the fighting between Israel and Lebanon during the prior
months. Despite this attack, tourism in Amman continues on a daily
basis, and the city's tourist locations are generally well-policed.
Given Jordan's location in a region that sees frequent conflict and
violence, by statistics and by general mood, Amman remains a safe and
interesting place to visit. For example, despite this killing, there is
little or no violent or petty crime in Amman, especially against
visitors, who uniformly report feeling safe at all hours in practically
all locations in the city.
Nearby
places of interest
Amman is conveniently located for many Jordanian attractions favoured by
tourists. It is a mere 45 minute trip by car to several interesting
locations:
The Baptism Site
The Baptism Site:
(Al-Maghtas in Arabic) on the River Jordan where Jesus is believed to
have been baptized by John the Baptist
Mount Nebo
Mount Nebo:
where, according to the Bible, Moses is supposed to have died
The unique ultra saline waters of the Dead Sea, home to many first-rate
resorts
Jerash
Jerash:
a city of the Decapolis and considered one of the most important and
best preserved Roman cities in the Near East
Petra
Petra:
halfway between Amman and Aqaba, is one of the most breathtaking places
in the world
more about Petra
Aqaba
The beaches at Aqaba:
a shipping port and Jordan's only access to the Red Sea. Just over three
hours from Amman by car, the primarily industrial character of the town
is mitigated by the fact that it is set between sprawling mountain
ranges and boasts some of the finest coral reefs in the region.
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