Madaba's history goes back 3,500 years. Just south
of Amman, the famous ‘City of Mosaics' is home to one of the world's largest
collections of mosaics, many of them still in situ, and most at least 1,400 years old. The
most famous of all is to be found in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. This is the
Byzantine mosaic map of Jerusalem and the holy city area, possibly the oldest such map in
existence, which was created around the year 560 AD with 2 million pieces of coloured
stone. Sadly, only part of the map has been preserved; originally it measured a staggering
25 x 5 metres.
It is believed
that Moses stood here, forbidden by God to enter the Promised Land. It was on Mount Nebo
that he took his first and only look at the Holy Land and where he was said to have lived
out his final days and finally been buried. The church still contains many marvellous
mosaics from the 4th and 6th century. From Mount Nebo there is a
beautiful scenic view across the Jordan Valley to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Jericho and the
Dead Sea.
Hammamat Ma'in Spa offers hot baths, mud packs, massage and beauty
regimens in an exquisite setting. There are ten springs varying in temperature from 37C
(110F) to 60C (140F). The main stream flows into a hot waterfall with a bathing pool
below.
Mukawir is the fortress
built by Herod the Great where Salome is said to have danced in exchange for the head of
John the Baptist on a platter. Mukawir sits on a stark promontory 730 metres high
overlooking the Dead Sea and protected on three sides by deep ravines.
Madaba's history goes back 3,500 years. Just south
of Amman, the famous ‘City of Mosaics' is home to one of the world's largest
collections of mosaics, many of them still in situ, and most at least 1,400 years old. The
most famous of all is to be found in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. This is the
Byzantine mosaic map of Jerusalem and the holy city area, possibly the oldest such map in
existence, which was created around the year 560 AD with 2 million pieces of coloured
stone. Sadly, only part of the map has been preserved; originally it measured a staggering
25 x 5 metres.
It is believed
that Moses stood here, forbidden by God to enter the Promised Land. It was on Mount Nebo
that he took his first and only look at the Holy Land and where he was said to have lived
out his final days and finally been buried. The church still contains many marvellous
mosaics from the 4th and 6th century. From Mount Nebo there is a
beautiful scenic view across the Jordan Valley to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Jericho and the
Dead Sea.
Hammamat Ma'in Spa offers hot baths, mud packs, massage and beauty
regimens in an exquisite setting. There are ten springs varying in temperature from 37C
(110F) to 60C (140F). The main stream flows into a hot waterfall with a bathing pool
below.
Mukawir is the fortress
built by Herod the Great where Salome is said to have danced in exchange for the head of
John the Baptist on a platter. Mukawir sits on a stark promontory 730 metres high
overlooking the Dead Sea and protected on three sides by deep ravines.