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Madaba It is, for many, one of the most pleasant surprises in Jordan and, of course, an essential place for those who travel moved by the Christian religion. To this is added its proximity to
Amman
, its airport and other places of interest in the country, such as the
Dead Sea
, making it a regular stop
on our tours of Jordan
. On this page we tell you what to see in Madaba and we give you other information of interest, such as its geographical location and how to get here.
Madaba It is the main city of the governorate of the same name. It is part of the Jordanian Highlands (altitude of 760 masl), but in this case it is very close to Amman: it is only 40 km from the capital, which makes it very accessible by road. It has a population of just over 120,000, which places it among the 10 most populous cities in Jordan
Archaeological evidence indicates that the territory of Madaba It was inhabited since the Bronze Age, and in its beginnings was a frontier settlement, disputed between the Moabites (descendants of Lot, fruit of his incestuous relationship with his daughters), the Israelites and the Ammonites (settled in the territory of present-day Amman).
Some centuries before the change of era, the Nabataeans took control of the territory, but since 105 AD, it was under the orbit of the Roman Empire, which made it a prosperous provincial city.
However, it was his successors, the Byzantines, who really gave him an important role, especially at the religious level. Proof of this was that its bishop participated in the Council of Chalcedon in 451, which shows that Madaba It was a reference city in the first centuries of Christianity. At that time, he saw how numerous churches were built, enriched with beautiful mosaics.
Around 632 it was conquered by the Arabs, although the Byzantine forces had managed to resist other attacks, such as the famous battle of Mutah. But the city did not have much time to flourish: in the following century, it suffered a devastating earthquake that caused its abandonment for more than a millennium.
It was not until the late nineteenth century when it was repopulated, mainly by Christians from Karak, in conflict with the Muslims of that city. The constructive work they carried out made many of the mosaics known today see the light, especially the map of the church of San Jorge. After that, the interest towards Madaba spread throughout the West, from where numerous archaeological excavation projects were organized.
Today, Madaba It is a Muslim-majority city, but the percentage of Christian inhabitants is the highest in the whole country: above 35% of the population according to some estimates, with modern churches serving their faithful. It follows that Madaba It has always had a very strong tradition of religious tolerance, of which its inhabitants are proud. In addition, this makes it possible for a part of its economic and cultural activity to be related to Christianity, as demonstrated by the prestigious Institute of Art and Restoration of Mosaics.
Undoubtedly, the most important thing to see in Madaba are its mosaics, most of them preserved
in situ
in their original places. But there are also other interesting spaces related to it, which give them context and deserve a visit if you are going to spend a full day here. This is the list of main places What to see in Madaba:
One of the great advantages of Madaba for tourists is that it is very close to the Queen Alia International Airport of Amman, the great gateway for international travelers. They are only 15 km away, which can be traveled by car in just 20 minutes. Therefore, it is possible to visit Madaba as soon as he arrived in the country, without having to go to other cities before.
However, the most common is to get to Madaba from Amman: the capital of Jordan is 40 km away, a distance that can be traveled by car, taxi, minibus and bus (JETT tourist service, on a route that also includes the holy sites of
Mount Nebo and Bethany Beyond the Jordan
).
Minibuses, however, are an uncomfortable option, lacking a strict schedule (they only leave when they fill up) and JETT’s tourist service does not run every day. Therefore, having a private vehicle will be the most comfortable solution.
Madaba is also not very far from the Black Sea (30 km), so it is feasible to organize a visit to Madaba on the way to that tourist destination, as soon as you land in the country, since it is passing through from the Queen Alia International Airport.
This is a list of alternative distances and durations from Madaba:
Since there are many travelers who come here daily, there are several places where you can expand information about what to see in Madaba. First, the aforementioned Visitor Center, with information panels, an introductory video to the city and brochures for tourists.
The other information space of Madaba is the office of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, where in addition to providing material to the traveler they explain the archaeological and restoration projects in force.
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License: C.I.AN-187782-3
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