Amman
Discover Amman
Introduction
Amman, the capital city of Jordan, has had a turbulent and varied past. It is one of the oldest and continuously inhabited cities in the world with the first settlement reported from the Stone Age. It was also an important Biblical city and went by the name Rabbath-Amon, the capital of the Ammonites. It was an equally important city in the Greco-Roman times and was called Philadelphia. The Romans left behind an incredible legacy in the shape of baths, public buildings, amphitheatres and colonnaded streets.
It was then the turn of the Byzantine era which saw several churches being built in the city on account of their Christian faith. The city then saw a bit of a decline till it again came into prominence with the spread of Islam from the Arabian Peninsula from the middle of the seventh century. The Muslims returned its Semitic name Ammon or Amman. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was founded by Emir Abdullah ibn Al-Hussein, who made Amman its capital in 1921.
Today Amman has grown into a vibrant city of two million, where pristine white houses gleam in the sun, and ancient Roman ruins blend harmoniously with modern buildings. The strong Amman coffee is a delight with the locals and so is the skewered meat at any of the kebab stalls which are spread across the city.
There is so much for a visitor to do or see in Amman. From classical Roman architecture, to Byzantine splendors; from exquisite mosques to museums teeming with relics of history and from scenes reminiscent of the Arabian nights to a contemporary and modern setting - Amman has something for every visitor.
It was then the turn of the Byzantine era which saw several churches being built in the city on account of their Christian faith. The city then saw a bit of a decline till it again came into prominence with the spread of Islam from the Arabian Peninsula from the middle of the seventh century. The Muslims returned its Semitic name Ammon or Amman. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was founded by Emir Abdullah ibn Al-Hussein, who made Amman its capital in 1921.
Today Amman has grown into a vibrant city of two million, where pristine white houses gleam in the sun, and ancient Roman ruins blend harmoniously with modern buildings. The strong Amman coffee is a delight with the locals and so is the skewered meat at any of the kebab stalls which are spread across the city.
There is so much for a visitor to do or see in Amman. From classical Roman architecture, to Byzantine splendors; from exquisite mosques to museums teeming with relics of history and from scenes reminiscent of the Arabian nights to a contemporary and modern setting - Amman has something for every visitor.