 |  |  | When exploring the ruins, wear sensible clothes and appropriate, comfortable and supportive footwear. Also, during the summer months, wear a hat, sunglasses and keep a supply of fresh drinking water with you at all times. | |  |
|  A close second to Petra on the list of favourite destinations in Jordan, the ancient city of Jerash boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years.
Jerash lies on a plain surrounded by hilly wooded areas and fertile basins. Conquered by General Pompey in 63 BC, it came under Roman rule and was one of the ten great Roman cities, the Decapolis League.
The city's golden age came under Roman rule, during which time it was known as Gerasa, and the site is now generally acknowledged to be one of the best preserved Roman provincial towns in the world. Hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over the past 70 years, Jerash reveals a fine example of the grand, formal provincial Roman urbanism that is found throughout the Middle East, comprising paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, handsome theatres, spacious public squares and plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates.
 | | The Cathedral at Jerash. | Beneath its external Graeco - Roman veneer, Jerash also preserves a subtle blend of east and west. Its architecture, religion and languages reflect a process by which two powerful cultures meshed and coexisted, The Graeco - Roman world of the Mediterranean basin and the traditions of the Arab Orient.
| The modern city of Jerash can be found to the east of the ruins. While the old and new share a city wall, careful preservation and planning has seen the city itself develop well away from the ruins so there is no encroachment on the sites of old.
 | | The Jerash Festival. | The Jerash Festival, held in July every year, transforms the ancient city into one of the worlds liveliest and most spectacular cultural events. The festival features folklore dances by local and international groups, ballet, concerts, plays, opera, popular singers and sales of traditional handicrafts, all in the brilliantly floodlit dramatic surroundings of the Jerash ruins.
 Learn more about the Jerash
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History & Culture
Ancient Jerash was an open city of freestanding structures richly embellished with marble and granite. Its engineering was so advanced that large parts of the city still survive today. Much more has been painstakingly restored by archeological teams from around the world.
The main attractions in Jerash are, not surprisingly, the ruins themselves. Guidebooks, maps and further information are readily available from the Visitors’ Centre near the South Gate Opening hours: Winter - 0800-1600, Summer – 0800-1900.
The ruins are extensive and impressive. Highlights include:
 | | Hadrian's Arch. | Hadrian’s Arch
Built to commemorate the visit of the Emperor Hadrian to Jerash in 129AD, this splendid triumphal arch was intended to become the main Southern gate to the city; however the expansion plans were never completed.
 | | The Hippodrome. | Hippodrome
This massive arena was 245m long and 52m wide and could seat 15,000 spectators at a time for chariot races and other sports. The exact date of its construction is unclear but it is estimated between the mid-second to third century AD. It is now also possible to relive the days when gladiators and charioteers appeared before the crowds, with regular re-enactments by the Roman Army and Chariot Experience (RACE). For more about RACE, visit www.jerashchariots.com
 | | The Oval Plaza. | Oval Plaza
The spacious plaza measures 90mx80m and is surrounded by a broad sidewalk and colonnade of 1st century AD Ionic columns. There are two alters in the middle, and a fountain was added in the 7th Century AD. This square structure now supports a central column, which was recently erected to carry the Jerash Festival Flame.
 | | The Colonnaded Street or Cardo Maximus. | Colonnaded Street
Still paved with the original stones – the ruts worn by chariots are still visible – the 800m Cardo was the architectural spine and focal point of Jerash. An underground sewage system ran the full length of the Cardo and the regular holes at the sides of the street drained rainwater into the sewers.
 | | The 'Cathedral'. | Cathedral
Further up the Cardo Maximus, on the left is the monumental and richly carved gateway of a 2nd century Roman Temple of Dionysus. In the 4th century the temple was rebuilt as a Byzantine church now referred to as the ‘Cathedral’ (although there is no evidence that it held more importance than any of the other churches). At the top of the stairs, against an outer East wall of the Cathedral is the shrine of St. Mary, with a painted inscription to Mary and the archangels Michael and Gabriel.
 | | The Nymphaeum. | Nymphaeum
This ornamental fountain was constructed in 191AD and dedicated to the Nymphs. Such fountains were common in Roman cities, and provided a refreshing focal point for the city. This well-preserved example was originally embellished with marble facings on the lower level and painted plaster on the upper level, topped with a half-dome roof. Water cascaded through seven carved lion's heads into small basins on the sidewalk and overflowed from there through drains and into the underground sewage system.
 | | The North Theatre. | North Theatre
The North Theatre was built in 165AD. In front is a colonnaded plaza where a staircase led up to the entrance. The theatre originally only had 14 rows of seats and was used for performances, city council meetings, etc. In 235AD, the theatre was doubled in size to its current capacity of 1,600. The theatre fell into disuse in the 5th century and many of its stones were taken for use in other buildings.
 | | The South Theatre. | South Theatre
Built during the reign of Emperor Domitian, between 90-92AD, the South Theatre can seat more than 3000 spectators. The first level of the ornate stage, which was originally a two-storey structure, has been reconstructed and is still used today. The theatre's remarkable acoustics allow a speaker at the centre of the orchestra floor to be heard throughout the entire auditorium without raising his voice. Two vaulted passages lead into the orchestra, and four passages at the back of the theatre give access to the upper rows of seats. Some seats could be reserved and the Greek letters which designate them can still be seen.
The Jerash Archaeological Museum
 | | The Archaeological Museum at Jerash. | The Jerash Archaeological Museum was established in 1923 inside one of the vaults of the courtyard of the Artemis Temple. In 1985, the museum was moved to the renovated old rest house and the first special exhibition there was entitled “Jordan Through the Ages”. The museum is now dedicated solely to discoveries from the Jerash region and its collections span the archaeological periods in the area, from the Neolithic up to the Mamluk period. The displays are in chronological order with typological and functional divisions.
The museum houses large collections of pottery, glass, metals and coins, in addition to precious stones, figurines and statues, stone and marble alters, and mosaics.
In the garden of the museum, Greek and Latin monumental inscription are on display next to marble statues and stone sarcophagi. Jerash (Gerasa) was one of the cities of the Decapolis. It is considered one of the largest Roman provincial cities, with well preserved Roman temples, paved roads, theatres, bridges and baths. The city also boasts well preserved monumental architectural parts: the Monumental Gate, the Nymphaeum and the Hippodrome. From the Byzantine period there are 18 churches, most of which have mosaic floors. The city wall with four gates is still preserved in many places.
Situated within the ruins, the museum is open daily 0800-1600 in winter, and 0800-1900 in summer (Fridays and official holidays 1000-1500). Admission is free.
| Religion & Faith
 | | Mosaics floor in the remains
of St. Genasios Church. | The history of Jerash is a blend of the Graeco-Roman world of the Mediterranean basin and the ancient traditions of the Arab Orient. Indeed, the name of the city itself reflects this interaction. The earliest Arabic / Semitic inhabitants named their village Garshu. The Romans later Hellenized the former Arabic name into Gerasa, and at the end of the 19th century, the Arab and Circassian inhabitants of the then small and rural settlements transformed the Roman Gerasa into the Arabic Jerash.
It was not until the days of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC that Jerash truly began to develop into a sizeable town. But it was during the period of Roman rule, especially in the 2nd Century A.D. that Jerash enjoyed its golden age.
Soon after Rome took control of Syria, Jerash was named as one of the great cities of the Decapolis League; a prosperous confederation of ten Roman cities linked by powerful commercial, political and cultural interests. This brought great economic benefits to Jerash and trade flourished with the Nabataean Empire based in Petra.
 | | The Roman Emperor Trajan, depicted
on a Roman coin.
| In 106AD, Emperor Trajan annexed the wealthy Nabataean Kingdom and formed the province of Arabia. This brought even greater trading riches pouring into Jerash which enjoyed a burst of construction activity. The city received yet another boost in stature with the visit of Emperor Hadrian in 129AD. To honour his visit, the citizens raised a monumental Triumphal Arch at the south of the city. Jerash’s prosperity reached a peak at the start of the 3rd century AD when it was bestowed with the rank of Roman Colony.
As the 3rd century progressed, shipping began to take over as the main route for commerce. Jerash fell into decline as its previously lucrative trade routes became less travelled and therefore less valuable.
 | | One of the temples at Jerash. | By the middle of the 5th century, Christianity had become the major religion of the region and numerous churches were constructed in Jerash. Many churches were constructed of stones taken from pagan temples – and the remains of several can still be seen today.
A powerful earthquake in 749AD seriously damaged the city and hastened its decline.
The Crusaders described Jerash as uninhabited and it remained abandoned until its rediscovery in 1806, when Ulrich Jasper Seetzen, a German traveller, came across and recognized a small part of the ruins. The ancient city was buried in sand which accounts for the remarkable preservation. It has been gradually revealed through a series of excavations which commenced in 1925 and are still ongoing. | |
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