Amman Essential: The Citadel with the Temple of Hercules, the Roman Theatre, the Umayyad Palace, Rainbow Street, and the Downtown Medley of Ancient and Modern Jordan
The Amman essential circuit covers the Citadel (Jabal al-Qala) as the most historically layered single hill in Jordan, the Temple of Hercules, the Umayyad Palace, the Roman Theatre as the most completely preserved single ancient theatre in Jordan, Rainbow Street as the most socially animated single Amman neighborhood, and the downtown cultural circuit.
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Amman Citadel: The Jabal al-Qala Hilltop
The Amman Citadel (Jabal al-Qala, the Castle Hill), the highest single hill of the original seven Amman hills occupied continuously from the Bronze Age (3000 BC) through the Iron Age (Rabbath Ammon, the Ammonite capital mentioned most frequently in the Bible and the most archaeologically documented single Ammonite city), the Hellenistic, the Roman, the Byzantine, and the Umayyad periods, is the most historically layered single archaeological site in Jordan. The Citadel provides the most panoramically complete single view of the modern Amman city of 19 hills.
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Temple of Hercules: The Roman Imperial Monument
The Temple of Hercules on the Amman Citadel (2nd century AD, the most dramatically large single Roman monument in Jordan with the remaining Corinthian column fragments and the colossal marble hand from the cult statue of Hercules that is the most impressively large single Roman sculpture fragment in Jordan), was built during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and dedicated to the most celebrated single Roman mythological hero. The Temple of Hercules marble hand and forearm, now displayed at the base of the columns, is the most dramatically scaled single ancient sculpture fragment in Amman.
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Umayyad Palace: The Early Islamic Citadel
The Umayyad Palace on the Amman Citadel (8th century AD, the most completely excavated single Umayyad residential complex in Jordan with the domed audience hall, the colonnaded courtyard, and the extensive cistern system), built by the Umayyad Caliphate governor of Bilad al-Sham (the historical Syria-Jordan region), represents the most architecturally complete single early Islamic administrative building in the Jordan valley region. The Umayyad dome over the cruciform audience hall is the most architecturally important single early Islamic interior in Jordan.
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Roman Theatre: The 6000-Seat Ancient Venue
The Philadelphia Roman Theatre in downtown Amman (2nd century AD, 6,000 seats, the most completely preserved single Roman theatre in Jordan and the most actively used single ancient performance venue in the country), built into the most steeply natural hillside in the ancient Philadelphia (the Roman name for Amman) city center, is the most dramatically scaled single ancient monument in the Amman downtown. The Jordan Museum of Popular Traditions in the theatre wings presents the most accessible single Jordanian folk costume and craft collection.
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Rainbow Street: The Most Animated Amman Neighborhood
Rainbow Street (Abdoun and Jabal Amman area), the most socially animated single Amman neighborhood with the cafes, the galleries, the bookshops, the restaurants, and the most cosmopolitan single Jordanian urban street culture, is the most internationally accessible single Amman neighborhood for the visitor who wants the most contemporary single Jordanian social experience. The Rainbow Street Friday evening promenade is the most socially diverse single Amman outdoor public event.
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King Abdullah I Mosque: The Modern Royal Mosque
The King Abdullah I Mosque (completed 1990, the most architecturally significant single modern mosque in Amman with the 35-meter blue-tiled dome, the most visually dominant single modern Islamic structure in the Amman skyline), one of the few Jordanian mosques open to non-Muslim visitors (with modest dress required), presents the most accessible single Islamic interior experience in the Jordanian capital and the most educational single Jordanian mosque visit for the non-Muslim visitor.
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More in Amman
Amman's Food & Culture: Mansaf by Hand, Palestinian Knafeh & Rome's Best Ruins at Jerash
Amman Day Trips: Jerash Roman City, Ajloun Castle, the Dead Sea Float, and the Madaba Mosaic Map
Amman's Living Culture: Syrian Restaurants, Wild Jordan Café & a Diplomatic Crossroads
Amman History: The Ammonite Rabbath Ammon, the Hellenistic Philadelphia, the Roman Gerasa, the Byzantine City, the Umayyad Capital, and the Modern Jordanian Capital
