Amman Citadel

Known locally as Jebel al-Qal’a, The Amman Citadel boasts the remains of a Roman temple, an Umayyad palace, and several other features of historical interest. This citadel dates back to the Bronze Age; throughout a near-4,000-year history, it’s been occupied by the Byzantines, Persians, Romans and Greeks. This makes Amman Citadel the cultural heart of the city: a rich convergence of architectural wonders.

An inscription dates the Amman Citadel’s construction to the term of the Roman governor Geminius Marcianus. The restored columns and bases notably stood only at the front of the temple, measuring 13.5 meters tall. The ancient architects, and modern restoration team, had to stack five or six-column drums, each weighing up to 11 tons, to create or re-create each column. The Amman Temple rose from a podium 43 by 27 meters, somewhat less than half the size of a soccer field.

Nearby, you can see a large, smooth stone sculpture of three bent fingers. The humanizing fragment was once part of a colossal statue of Hercules, which experts believe may have stood more than 12 meters tall. Also, you can visit Umayyad Palace – an eighth-century royal complex with a restored, domed entrance chamber – and the Jordan Archaeological Museum, which houses 6,000-year-old statues and one of the legendary Dead Sea Scrolls.

Location: K. Ali Ben Al-Hussein St, Amman, Jordan
Website: https://www.touristjordan.com/amman-citadel/
Tel: 962 6 463 8795
Hour: Open all hours
Google Rating: 4.5/5