Amman

History & Culture

The Temple of Hercules. Amman's history spans nine millennia dating back to the Stone Age. It boasts one of the largest Neolithic settlements (c.6500 BC) ever discovered in the Middle East. The Citadel hill contains early Bronze-Age tombs (3300-1200 BC). By the beginning of the Iron Age Amman had become the capital of the Ammonites, referred to in the Bible, and was called Rabbath-Ammon. It was here that King David of Israel killed Uriah the Hittite. Fortress towers ringed the city at that time - the best preserved of these can still be seen today - but they were little protection against King David's attack. His forces toppled the Ammonites and, apart from a brief revival in the 9th and 8th centuries BC, the area was ruled in succession by the Assyrians, Babylonians and Persians for several hundred years. By the 4th century BC the city had been renamed "Philadelphia" after its Ptolemaic ruler, Philadelphus. Seleucid and Nabataean rule followed until 63 BC, when it was absorbed into the Roman Empire and the Roman general, Pompey, annexed Syria and made Philadelphia part of the Decapolis League - an alliance of ten free city-states with overall allegiance to Rome. The Romans rebuilt the city with colonnaded streets, baths, a theatre and impressive public buildings. Philadelphia found itself at the centre of the new Roman province of Arabia and of lucrative trade routes running between the Mediterranean and an interior which stretched to India and China as well as routes north and south. The city flourished. During the Byzantine period, when Christianity became the official religion of the Eastern Roman Empire the city was the seat of a Christian Bishop and two churches were constructed. By the early 7th century, Islam was already spreading northwards from the Arabian Peninsula and, by 635AD, had embraced the land as part of its domain. The city returned to its original Semitic name of Ammon, or as it is known today, Amman. With various shifts in political power over the following centuries, Amman's fortunes declined. During the Crusades and under the Mamluks of Egypt, Amman's importance was overtaken by the rise of Karak in the south. By 1321 AD, it was reported that Amman was 'a very ancient town and was ruined before the days of Islam' there are great ruins here and the river al-Zarqa flows through them.” Under the Ottoman Empire, Amman remained a small backwater with Salt being the main town of the area. By 1806 the city was reported to be uninhabited except for the Bedouins. The departure of the Ottomans from the region coincided with the exodus of large numbers of Circassian and other persecuted Muslims from the Caucasus. They found refuge in the area and established a settlement on the east bank of the Jordan River. Although they were mostly farmers, amongst these early settlers there were also gold and silversmiths and other craftsmen, and it wasn’t long before they built rough roads linking their settlement to Amman. Commerce, once again, began to flourish. The Hejaz Railway. But it was the construction of the Hejaz Railway which really brought the city back to life. Linking Damascus with Medina, the railway passed through Amman in 1902 Once again, Amman became the centre of a busy trade route and its population began to grow. By 1905 the city held a mixed population of some 3000 people. On 15th May 1923, the Emirate of Transjordan came into existence, with Emir Abdullah, a Hashemite and direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), as its undisputed leader. On the 22nd March 1946, Transjordan secured its independence. Two months later, Abdullah’s title of Emir, was changed to King, and the country was renamed the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan with Amman as its capital. Culture One of the numerous art galleries in Amman. Over the ensuing decades the city has expanded and flourished to become a modern, lively, commercial metropolis of well over two million people. Excellent hotels and accommodation, gourmet restaurants, coffee shops, shopping centres, offices and luxury villas have replaced older dwellings. However, there is still much of the old city to be admired. In addition to its numerous archaeological sites, Amman has many museums, art galleries and cultural centres, as well as theatres and cinemas. The Royal Film Commission of Jordan The Royal Film Commission of Jordan aims to contribute to the development of an internationally competitive Jordanian audio-visual production industry, partly by developing and cultivating 'Film Culture' and by encouraging Jordanians to use film and audio-visual media to tell their stories, voice their opinions and express their ideas. The Commission also provides opportunities for audiences to get together with filmmakers to watch independent and experimental films, open a dialogue with filmmakers, exchange ideas, and cultivate multimedia literacy. For more information, please contact: P.O.Box 811991 Amman 11181 Jordan Tel:+962 6 464 22 66 Fax: +962 6 464 2299 E-mail: info@film.jo Website: www.film.jo Leisure & Wellness Leisure & Wellness A wide range of leisure and wellness opportunities are available for visitors to Amman. Most of the leading hotels have swimming pools, tennis courts and excellent, fully-equipped and professionally managed spas and fitness centres. Within the city are many private gyms and sports facilities as well as clubs and sports organizations for everything from horse riding, cycling and flying to golf, basketball football and running. Amman also has a large water park, with lots of slides and rides, to keep children and the young at heart, cool and entertained for hours. A visit to the Hammam is a good way to discover more about the local culture. This is an Arabic-style communal bathhouse, highly popular throughout Jordan and the region since Roman times. The baths consist of three main rooms, a Frigidarium, Tepidarium and Calidarium – the cold, warm and hot rooms respectively. This is a totally invigorating experience for both mind and body. After a long day of visiting Amman’s many attractions, there is no better way to unwind than by visiting one of the luxurious spas found in many of the city’s leading hotels. The spas combine Eastern and Western techniques and offer luxurious body treatments, rejuvenating facials, cleansing scrubs and body wraps, and relaxing massages. The Jordanian people are extremely health-conscious, so it’s hardly surprising that the country’s clinics, medical and research facilities are notable within the region. Religion & Faith Amman is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and there are many Biblical references to the city, which was then known as Rabbath-Ammon. Later renamed Philadelphia (after the Ptolemaic ruler Philadelphus), the city also became part of the Decapolis League, an alliance of ten Roman-ruled cities including Jerash, Gadara (present-day Umm Qays), Pella, Arbila (Irbid) and others. During the Byzantine period, Philadelphia was the seat of a Christian bishop, and a number of impressive churches were built here. The Umayyad Mosque at the Citadel. The Citadel, which towers above the city from Jabal al-Qala'a, is the site of ancient Rabbath-Ammon, and excavations here have uncovered Roman, Byzantine and early Islamic remains. The most impressive, known simply as al-Qasr ("the Palace"), dates back to the Islamic Umayyad period. Nearby are the ruins of Umayyad palace grounds. Close by are the remains of a small Byzantine basilica while roughly 100 metres south of the church is what is thought to have been a temple of Hercules - also known as the Great Temple of Amman - which was built during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The King Hussein Mosque, also known as al-Husseini Mosque, is an Ottoman-style mosque rebuilt in 1924 on the site of an ancient mosque. Amman’s famous gold souq is just a short distance away. Fun & Adventure Amman is a good to base for action-packed activities in the surrounding area. The Jordan Valley is just a short drive away and easily accessible for day excursions for walking, hiking, riding, sports and much more. One of Amman's riding centres. Within Amman there is plenty of fun to be found including waterparks with lots of thrilling rides to keep the children entertained. There is a wide range of Health Clubs and Fitness Centres as well as facilities for paintballing and other action-packed sports. Horse riding is a very popular activity and Amman’s riding centres offer excellent facilities: Those interested in getting off the ground, in any of Jordan’s main resorts, should contact the Royal Aero Sports Club of Jordan, a highly professional organization that provides a range of flying activities including skydiving, micro-light flying, hot air ballooning & parachuting, as well as single engine flight training. Amman's climate is ideal for golfers. Amman has an excellent 9-hole 'brown' golf course, with par of 67, The Bisharat Golf Course is the first proper golf course to be found in Jordan., nestles in the hills along side Amman’s Queen Alia Airport. located just 14 kilometres outside the city, which provides caddie service, a pro-shop and professional coaching. For more information please visit http://www.GolfJordan.com Fax: + 962 6 4624660 Working Days: All Week Opening Hours: Sunrise to Sunset Amman's 'Waves Waterpark' is a great place to chill out and have some fun - especially for children who are bored of shopping and visiting the sites. The park is large, ecologically-friendly and has plenty of shady areas. The lower level has wave pools, river rides and slides as well as fast food outlets for the kids. The upper level has a quieter pool and restaurant area. The King Hussein National Park is located on the western outskirts of the city and is a great place to while away a few hours. Within the Park is The Cultural Village, which highlights Jordan’s heritage through its handicrafts and culture. The Centre includes studios for Arabic calligraphy, stone inscriptions, natural dyes and various other traditional crafts. The Park, which overlooks Amman, has outstanding themed gardens and an auditorium where various events and festivals regularly take place. It also has a large sports training facility, as well as a children’s playground, a children’s museum, medical clinic and restaurant. Nightlife in Amman Like any bustling, cosmopolitan city, Amman comes alive when the sun goes down. There’s plenty to do in Amman after dark. Nightclubs throb to the beat of modern music, attracting the young fashionable crowds while the more traditional establishments offer Arabic music and dance. Many international restaurants also provide live entertainment. Amman has many cinemas which screen all the latest movie productions. There are also theatres and concert halls which have regular performances of stage shows, music concerts and ballets on their agenda. If you are interested in our blog, tours, and/or wish to contact us with suggestions or questions, please email us. We look forward to hearing from anyone interested in visiting the Middle East. Thanks & Best Regards, Jordan Artist Tours P.O.Box 170 Petra 71810 Jordan Tel #: 00962 (0) 3 215 7561 Fax #: 00962 (0) 3 215 4561 Cell #: 00962 (0) 7 777 64781 Skype ID: jordanartisttours info@jordanartisttours.com www.jordanartisttours.com