With Umm Qais, we continue to review the attractions included in the Jordan Pass, that tourist pass that is given with the visa to every traveler who enters Jordan. After reviewing places as interesting as the Citadel of Amman or the Ajloun Castle, it is the turn of this archaeological site from Roman times. Below, we tell you where it is, what you can see and how you can include its visit in a tour of the country.
Location and Historical Notes of Umm Qais
Umm Qais is a small town in northern Jordan, with an approximate population of 7,000 inhabitants. It is located in a strategic point: just 5 km in a straight line from the border with Israel and 13 km from the border with Syria. However, despite this proximity, there are no border crossings with its neighbors, so there is no transport traffic as in other customs posts.
Located therefore in a region of irregular relief, dotted with olive groves and other Mediterranean trees, it is located at the foot of the Yarmouk Forest Reserve, recently declared a Biosphere Reserve by Unesco.
Umm Qais is the name given to this town since the Arab conquest in the battle of Yarmouk (year 636). But this place entered the maps of history with another name: that of Gadara, founded in Hellenistic times, probably as a military colony in the times of Alexander the Great.
However, it was the Roman civilization from 63 BC that really boosted the growth and development of Gadara, becoming part of the Decapolis, a kind of league of 10 autonomous cities in the region, along with Gerasa (Jerash) and Philadelphia (Amman), among others. In Byzantine times, it maintained its position of relevance as the seat of a Christian bishopric. In fact, it is mentioned in the Bible, as the place of the
What to See in Umm Qais
Therefore, the great attractions to see in Umm Qais are those that take us back to antiquity, located in its visitable archaeological site. A guided tour of this site will take you through the following points of interest:
- Theaters: one located to the north and the other to the west
- Viewpoint, with views of the surroundings towards the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights
- Decumanus maximus, main axis of the city that, in reality, was part of a great Roman road that reached the Mediterranean
- Thermal baths
- Terrace of the Byzantine church
- Row of shops, which allow us to imagine the commercial activity that Gadara came to have
In addition to all this, a small museum has been created to display the main archaeological and artistic pieces recovered at the site.
How to Visit Umm Qais
As it is a small town, relatively far from the main tourist destinations in Jordan, it is not easy to get here independently. The main nearby city is Irbid, about 25 km away by road, but even the combination of public transport from here is not comfortable, with some daily minibuses.
That is, you will need a private transport service to be able to travel here. The usual thing is to include the visit in a day trip through the north of the country, for example starting from Jerash (located about 70 km away, which is just over an hour’s journey). In this way, you can discover two of the main Roman cities of Jordan, in the same day. And if the idea is to start from Amman, you must take into account that the distance is extended to 120 km and almost two hours of travel.
