16.7 – Amman Citadel
Date: Sat 11th Nov'12
Location: Amman, Jordan
The Amman Citadel, also known locally as the Jabal al-Qal'a is situated right in the centre of the city, in the Downtown area. The citadel overlooks the Downtown area, and from there, you can look across to the many buildings on the hills that make up Amman. Today, my time was spent exploring the citadel grounds. I set off and took the 30 min walk up to the citadel.
The sight that first greets the visitor when he steps foot in the Citadel.
Amman has been continuously populated for the longest time. The structures inside the citadel attest to this. Amman was first known as Rabbath-Ammon during 13th BCE by the Ammonites, and the name was mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. The Persian and the Hellenistic Macedonians next occupied the city. Then it came under the rule of the Nabateans (the guys who made Petra) before falling to the Romans, who renamed the city Philadelphia. Christianity came in the form of the Byzantine Empire. The city fell to the Ummayyads in the 7th CE and was much later expanded under Ottoman rule.
The rulers occupied the Citadel: There is the impressive remains of the Temple of Hercules as you enter the citadel grounds. The Corinthian columns of the Byzantine church reveal the layout of the ancient church, which took parts of the Temple of Hercules to make it. A single wall with arched doorway is all that remains o! f the mosque. But the later Ayyubid defensive walls, and the Ummayyad Palace, including the souq area leading to the caliph's quarters are visible.
The standing columns are remains of the Temple of Hercules
A stone lintel depicting a bearded man in a toga, flanked by two spear wielding angels and two rosettes. The lintel is part of an open air display leading to an archaeological museum on the citadel grounds.
Another view of the Temple of Hercules.
The huge arms and hand found near the temple led to the "Hercules" tag.
From the citadel, you can view the surrounding areas of greater Amman.
The corinthian columns of the Byzantine church, still visible and with a mosaic floor.
The single standing piece of wall of the mosque.
A storage tank that served the citadel's water needs. It led to a hamam-style bath.
The Ummayyad palace entrance.
Blind arcades line up on the wall.
Inside: buttressed pillars
Past the entrance, remains of a colonnaded walkway, leading to the inner chambers of the palace, where guests are received.
Residential area within the palace grounds.
A view of Amman from the citadel.
Yes. That flag is humongous.
After the citadel, a walk down the main road brings me to steps leading down to the Roman Amphitheatre. It is a large, impressive open air amphitheatre, and the entrance fee also gives you access to two mildly interesting museums on either side of the amphitheatre.
The impressive Roman amphitheatre.
In the evening, I did one of my "wandering off the map" things, walked and walked (uphill) and ended up on Jebel Amman, in Rainbow Street, which is the next neighbourhood beside Downtown. On Rainbow Street are nice cafes, and restaurants, which can occupy your evening.
Tomorrow, I take a day trip to Madabar, Mount Nebo and the Dead Sea.
The entrance fee to Amman Citadel is 2 dinar, covering the archaeological museum. The entrance fee to the Roman Amphitheatre is 1 dinar, which includes the two museums. Both are easily accessible and within walking distance of the Downtown central area of Amman.
Read More @ Source2012 JCI World Congress in Taipei, welcome to Taiwan!!
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