Amman
INTRO
Amman, the capital of Jordan, is a fascinating city and one of world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. It is the commercial, industrial and administrative centre of Jordan and an exotic tourist destination. Amman represents the Oriental culture in a unique blend with the modern development of the country and is an ancestor of many ancient civilizations, whose remains are perfectly reserved and attract visitors from all over the world.
City Profile
City: Amman
Country: Jordan
Area: 89213 km2
Population: 2,125,400
Districts: 19
Mayor: Omar AlMaani
Language: Arabic
LOCATION
Amman is ideally situated on a hilly area of north-western Jordan between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley. It is built on nineteen hills and its main areas take their names from the hilltop on whose slopes they lie. The city is a convenient base point for sightseeing, situated in close distance from the main tourist attractions in Jordan.
TIME TO VISIT
Amman has a relatively mild, Western Mediterranean climate that is characterised with hot, dry summer months and cool winters with an average temperature of about 6 degrees C. It is possible to snow in December and January while it rains predominantly between November and March. The most popular months to visit Amman start with April, through the whole summer till the autumn, ending with November, depending on the weather preferences.
POPULATION
The population of Amman came from many ethnic backgrounds. The "native" Jordanians are the Bedou and have lived in the land of Jordan for centuries but the city homes many refugees and they also add diversity to the ethnic mix of the population. Jordan hosts many workers from Egypt, the Philippines, Sri Lankan, India, Pakistan, Syrian, Lebanon, and other countries. The official language is Arab and sometimes it is quite difficult to speak English with the natives.
DISTRICTS
Amman was originally built on seven hills but today its territory spreads over nineteen hills, each of which is called "jabal", meaning mountain. Each jabal is said to form a separate neighbourhood. Amman consists of an old and more traditional part called "City Centre" and a modern more vibrant western style "West Amman".
- Jebel Amman is the most centrally located Jebel and is the location of many embassies, and well-established companies and stores.
- Jebel Al-Qalaa is the other name of Citadel Hill and is famous for the ruins found on its territory, including ancient temples and theatres.
- Jebel al Ashrafiyeh is frequently visited because of the beautiful Abu Darwish Mosque that is built there.
SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS
The tourism in Amman is concentrated in the old part of the town. It is a home of many remains from Roman and Byzantine times and is conveniently situated near many Jordanian tourist attractions and serves as a base for many visitors. The city also has many typical Muslim mosques that are symbolic for the Middle East culture. Here is a list of some of the many preferred destinations.
- Citadel Hill has been inhabited since ancient Roman times and is famous for the Temple of Hercules, which dates back to around AD 161-180, and is usually compared to the one of Artemis in Turkey. Another impressive building on the Hill is Al-Qaser, meaning the Palace that was built during the Islamic Umayyad period around 720 AD. There are other remains on the Hill, including those of an ancient Byzantine Basilica. Opening time: Museum: Daily 9am to 5pm (winter), 9am to 7pm (summer); Friday and holidays 10am to 6pm.
- The Souk is a colourful traditional Arab market where textiles, jewellery, spices, wooden sculptures and other valuable goods could be found on negotiable prices. The souk is a part of the everyday life of the Jordanian people and a great place to shop for souvenirs.
- The Roman Theatre is situated beneath the Citadel Hill and is a magnificent amphitheatre relic from ancient Philadelphia. The site used to have about 6 thousand seats and it is still used today for various performances. There are two museums that form a part of the theatre. Jordan Folklore Museum is open daily 9am to 5pm; Fridays 10am to 4pm. Museum of Popular Traditions: 9am to 5pm; closed Tuesdays.
- Petra is rock-carved city and one of the most important archeological sites in Jordan. Petra was the capital of Nabateans more than 2500 years ago and is surprisingly well-preserved. It is designated a World Heritage Site and is definitely worth visiting. More info at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra
- The Dead Sea is both the saltiest and lowest body of water on Earth, forming part of the border between Jordan and Israel. It is a popular places for many types of therapies and an unique resort destination. There are buses from Muhajrin station heading for the Dead Sea and the last bus back is at 4pm. More info at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea
- Jerash, is a city of the Decapolis and considered as an important and very well-preserved Roman cities in the Near East with columns and amphitheatres dating back to the ancient times. It is situated 25km north of Amman and the buses run every hour from Abdali Bus Station for the price of 0.400JD (taxis are also a good option). More info at: http://wikitravel.org/en/Jerash
AIRPORT
Amman has one main Airport that serves the needs of native and international visitors and another smaller airport (Amman Civil Apt Airport) that is mostly for civil flights.
- Queen Alia International Airport is situated about 32 kilometres south of Amman. It hosts the majority of the air travel to and from the country. The easiest way to reach the city is by taxi. There are many of them and are not expensive but it is better to agree on a price in advance even though they usually charge on fixed destinations. There are also Airport Express buses that go to the city throughout the week. More info at: http://airlines.priceline.com/airlines/amman---queen-alia-international-airport.html
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
Amman is a comparatively small town that serves the public transportation needs mainly by taxis and public buses. There are also bus connections to the main tourist attractions within the city region.
- Public buses operate through a number of bus lines and the main two bus and taxi stations are Abdali (situated near the King Abdullah Mosque and the Parliament and Palace of Justice) and Raghadan Station (near the Roman Amphetheatre in Downtown).
- Taxis are two types: metred private ones that are available at reasonable prices and yellow shared taxis that run on fixed destination prices. The cars are many and easy to find. It is important to negotiate the prices with the private taxis in advance.
- Taxis are yellow and black with metres. Yellow taxis are more expensive but they are considered to be safer and more comfortable. They start the meter at Tk20 whereas black taxies start at Tk15 and lack air-conditioning.
- Public buses are operated by the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation and private companies. They run on the main road network but are not very pleasant because they are usually awfully noisy and crowded. Fares: Tk10 - 25.
HISTORY
Amman has been inhabited by several civilizations beginning in the Neolithic period around 6500 BC. At first, in the 13th Century BC, it was known in the Old Testament as Rabbath-Ammon by the Ammonites. After that the town was conquered by the Assyrians, Persians and Greeks. By the 4th century BC it had been renamed "Philadelphia" after its Ptolemaic ruler, Philadelphus. The city was a part of the Nabataean kingdom before AD 106 when Philadelphia passed under Roman control and joined the Decapolis. The Romans rebuilt the city with colonnaded streets, baths, a theatre and impressive public buildings. Philadelphia was then situated at the centre of the new Roman province of Arabia. During the Byzantine period, Philadelphia was the seat of a Christian Bishop, which resulted in constructing of several churches. Amman's contemporary history began in the 19th century when the Ottomans resettled in Amman a colony of Circassian inhabitants in 1878. In 1921 Amman became the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and since then it has grown rapidly into a modern, thriving metropolis.
CITY LINKS
- Jordan Times, A Daily Newspaper in English: www.jordantimes.com
- Interesting Places in Amman: http://www.flightcentre.com.au/destinations/guides/index.jsp?destination=Jordan-1966&sub=attractions
- Useful Tips: http://wikitravel.org/en/Amman
- Jordan Tourism Board: http://www.seejordan.org
UNIVERSITY LINKS
- Al-Ahliyya Amman University, the first privately funded university in Jordan:
- http://www.amman.edu/
- The University of Jordan, the first state-run educational institution in Jordan: http://www.ju.edu.jo/
- Philadelphia University: http://www.philadelphia.edu.jo/