The city of Amman, which is the capital of Jordan’s Hashemite kingdom, now stretches over 19 hills (known as jabals). In its settlement days, the city originally unfolded over the landscape of seven hills.
Almost half of Jordan’s population lives in Amman, dotting the hills with pastel coloured houses made of stone. The houses are all uniformly shaped like boxes, with the flat roofs of desert dwellings. Pavement markets, ancient minarets, and the crumbling remains of ancient civilizations mix in harmonious contrast to the international restaurants, fashion houses and contemporary office buildings.
The downtown district is the heartbeat of Amman. In the centre is the Ottoman style King Hussein Mosque. The area around the Mosque is busy at all times, but is especially a beehive of activity during the prayer times. The streets are filled with the sound of worship, scented by the exotic smells of Arabia and surrounded by rows of jewel-like treasures in the marketplace, with the haggling of bartering voices.
Amman dates back over 5,500 years and was the capital city of the Ammonites. Overlooking the city, the Citadel is the site of the ancient Rabbath-Ammon of the Old Testament. At its feet lays the Roman amphitheatre, a relic of the city of Rome’s Philadelphia.
Amman is one of the oldest cities in the world, and has been continuously inhabited since it was first settled. Today, it is also a thriving administrative and commercial centre of notable hospitality, modern facilities and historical attractions. Many of the other attractions in the region are no more than a five hour drive away.
Flights to Amman are available from most international airports.