An Example of Intercultural Tolerance at the Crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe – Part 2

After taking the swab, you will be met by a police officer who will check the validity of your Jordan Pass and equip your passport with a visa. But the entry process doesn’t end there. With the visa in your passport, you need to go to the next police officer who, after a conversation, will stamp your passport with an entry stamp, and on the other side of his cabin at the airport, a third police officer will be waiting for you to check if you really have a visa and an entry stamp in your passport.

Thoroughly checked and tested with a passport full of QR and bar codes and markings in Arabic letters and numbers, I went to pick up the car and drove to the Hashemite Square, which stretches under the citadel next to the Roman theatre or amphitheatre. The area from the Hashemite Square to the Jordan Museum represents the city center with dozens of restaurants, shops, bazaars and artisans of all kinds.

Due to the limited time in Amman, I only decided to visit the huge public park, where, among other things, there’s a cultural village, the King Hussein Mosque, the Prophet Muhammad Museum, the Children's Museum of Jordan and the Museum of Royal Vehicles. The latter is the one I also visited I have to admit that it’s one of the most prestigious collections of luxury vehicles I’ve ever seen.

Despite all the experiences listed above, it’s necessary to emphasize that Amman can’t be the destination of a trip, but at most an excellent starting point for exploring historical sights, especially north and west of the capital.

Jerash, Madaba and As-Salt

If you had to choose only three places to visit during your stay in Amman, this would be the best choice. The cities are completely different from each other and, while in Jerash the old Roman city is the reason for our visit, and the rich Christian history and mosaics are the reason to visit Madaba, what makes As-Salt so interesting is the whole pulse of the city which, for reasons I’ll introduce a little later, made UNESCO list it as a World Heritage Site, namely as a city of tolerance and civilized hospitality.

Jerash

Let's start with Jerash, which lies on a plain between wooded hills and fertile valleys and is ranked second in popularity after Petra, as it’s one of the best-preserved Roman cities and at the same time a city that has been continuously inhabited for 6,500 years. It was conquered by General Pompey in 63 BC. It was under the Roman rule and under the name of Gerasa that the city experienced its golden age and soon became one of the ten great Roman cities. Today, of course, the well-maintained remains of the Roman city can be visited, and the entrance fee is included in the Jordan Pass. For a complete experience, you’ll need at least two hours to see the theaters, shrines, baths, the hippodrome and more, and the friendly souvenir vendors will also show you the most photo-worthy spots as well as a couple of useful tricks on how to take the best photos.

Unlike Jerash, where everything begins and ends with the old Roman city, As-Salt is a city where the visit is limited only by how much time you want to spend there, as it literally sucks you in.

As-Salt

The city of As-Salt, built on three hills in the Balqa highlands in west-central Jordan, was an important trade link between the eastern desert and the west. During the last 60 years of the Ottoman period, the region prospered due to the arrival and settlement of merchants from Nablus, Syria and Lebanon. This prosperity attracted skilled artisans from different parts of the region, who transformed a modest rural settlement into a thriving city with some 650 important historical buildings, where local features combine Art Nouveau and neo-colonial styles. When talking about the harmonious development of the city, it’s necessary to mention the coexistence of Christians and Muslims, which is best evidenced by the guesthouses known as dawaween and the public property system known as Takaful Ijtimai'. It was this coexistence that led to the city's inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. But even if the city's pulse is the reason for visiting As-Salt, it’s still necessary to mention the sites that are worth seeing.

The Heritage Houses are currently in the process of receiving the UNESCO World Heritage status, as they have a unique architectural style that can only be seen here and reflect the harmonious spirit of the city. You will also feel this spirit on the Al Hammam Street and even more so in the 17-th century Al-khader Orthodox church, which is visited by both Christians and Muslims. Of course, there are many more churches and mosques in the city, and among the mosques I recommend visiting the shrine of Prophet Joshua, as well as the large and small mosque. Among the museums, I would like to point out the folklore museum, which is a must-see, and the archaeological museum.

Although there are still a lot of interesting cities around Amman that are worth visiting (Irbid, Ajlun, Iraq Al-Amir, Umm Qays, Quseir Amra, Umm Ar-Rasas...), which include ones listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, let's briefly focus on Madaba.

Madaba

Madaba is located about 35 kilometers south of Amman and is, according to my selection, the third city that I recommend visiting during your stay in the capital. Of course, everything else you’re going to visit in addition to my three suggested cities depends on the time you have available.

The reason I put Madaba in my list of "top three" cities near Amman is that it’s a distinctly Christian city and, once there, one almost forgets they’re in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Among the main attractions are the ruins of Umm ar-Rasas in the immediate vicinity of Madaba, which are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the city, you can admire the church mosaics for which Madaba is famous for. Among the most beautiful mosaics are those that can be found in the Greek church of St. George, in the archaeological park and the Church of the Apostles. But, since you probably won't have this travelogue at hand when in Madaba, I recommend making the Madaba Visitors Center as your first stop. The center will take you through the history of the city and its surroundings in words and pictures, and provide you with appropriate maps, opening times and other advice, without which you would unnecessarily waste time and energy.

Of course, it’s completely up to you to decide how many days you’re going to spend in Amman’s surroundings, but my job is to introduce you to another part of Jordan, which includes Petra, the country’s biggest tourist attraction, the Dead Sea, Aqaba on the Red Sea, and the Wadi Rum valley and desert in the next and also the concluding part of the Jordan trilogy.