Location: Amman Governorate Map
Amman is located in Jordan, it is the capital and largest city of
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (population approx. 2.1 million).
Amman is an excellent base from which to explore this state, and,
contrary to popular belief, there is something here that deserves
the attention of a traveler. Visit the ancient Roman amphitheater of
Amman, study at Jordanian University or stay in a luxury hotel.
There are many shopping centers here.
Amman is undergoing a
dramatic transformation from a quiet, sleepy province to a bustling
metropolis, some parts of which are serious about imitating Dubai.
Amman's roads have a reputation for being very steep and narrow in
some of the underdeveloped areas of the city, but today the city has
modern highways and paved avenues. Rough terrain and heavy traffic
continue to be a problem for pedestrians and occasional cyclists.
New inns and hotels abound in the city, with plenty to see and do
for the tourist. Use Amman as a starting point for trips to nearby
cities and towns in Jordan.
White-stoned Amman experienced
rapid growth when it became the capital of Transjordan in the early
1920s, but especially after the 1948 and 1967 wars with Israel, when
hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees settled here. A new
wave came after the second Iraqi war, when most of the newcomers
were Iraqi refugees.
The history of the city has many
millennia. The settlement, mentioned in the Bible as Rabbat Ammon,
was the capital of the Ammonites, who were subsequently subjugated
by the Assyrians. For a short time it belonged to the Nabateans,
then becoming a major ancient Roman center of trade and being
renamed Philadelphia. After the Islamic conquests, Amman became part
of the Muslim empire until the Turks were forced out by the Allied
forces with the help of the Hashemites, who established a monarchy
that continues to rule to this day.
Today, western Amman is a
vibrant modern city. The eastern part of the city, where the
majority of Amman's residents live, is mostly a working-class
residential area and is much older than the western part. Although
Amman itself has a number of attractions, it serves as a convenient
base for exploring the northwestern regions of the country.
Amman is a very diverse city. Palestinians, Iraqis, Circassians,
Armenians and many other ethnic groups coexist here. Amman was
destroyed as a result of the events of Black September, but the city
was rebuilt. The city is constantly growing. In less than a century,
the city's population has grown from 20,000 inhabitants to over 2
million, thanks in part to massive influxes of refugees from
Palestine and Iraq.
Despite the popular belief that most
Jordanians understand English, their knowledge of the language is
quite limited. The most famous English phrase is "Welcome to Jordan"
(Welcome to Jordan). The only language, besides Arabic, that is used
on signs and signs is English, near major attractions you will find
"Tourist Police" (Tourist Police). It never hurts to know a few
useful phrases and have a phrase book with you, or write the names
and addresses of the places you are going to, written on a piece of
paper in Arabic, for the taxi driver.
By plane
Most visitors to Amman (and Amman) arrive through the
International Airport. Queen Alia International Airport.
Occasionally, regional or charter flights arrive at Marka Airport,
located in the east of Amman, a few kilometers behind the railway
station. Most Western tourists can purchase Jordanian entry visas at
the airport if they have not already received them from a Jordanian
consulate. The visa costs 20 JD ($28) and is payable in dinars only:
at the immigration queue, you pay for your visa at the first window,
then proceed to the second window to have your passport stamped.
Note that there is a whist sign indicating that it is possible to
pay with a bank card, but this is not the case, and you will be sent
for cash. There is a currency exchange before passport control,
there is also one ATM (does not accept MasterCard), there are
several more ATMs after the customs zone. The airport has only one
post office and no mailbox, it is located in the arrivals hall of
Terminal 1 next to the Lost and Found office. If the post office is
closed, you can put your letters/postcards under the curtain.
To get from Queen Alia Airport to Amman itself, there are two
best options: either take a taxi or take the Airport Express bus. A
taxi ride from the airport to the city will cost about 20 dinars
($30). The taxi fare from the airport is fixed. Remember that the
fare is fixed only from the airport to the city, the taxi driver may
try to negotiate with you to take you from the city back to the
airport, often at an inflated price. It is not difficult to get from
the city to the airport for 20 dinars, but if the driver tries to
take more, be firm and say no. Express buses to the airport run
around the clock every 60 minutes (except at midnight, 2 am, 4 am
and 6 am), the fare is 3 dinars. Buses depart only from the bus stop
in front of Terminal 2. The trip from the airport to the Tabarbour
bus station in Amman, stopping at the 7th ring, usually takes 45
minutes to an hour. You can then hail a taxi from the bus station to
your hotel, but beware of taxi drivers trying to rip off the newly
arrived tourist.
The bus stop on the 7th ring is less than
100 m south of the ring. The small yellow bus with the "airport
express" sign is easily recognizable, and the driver will also stop
elsewhere if you wave to him. To get to the 7th ring from the
center, take bus number 41 or any bus bound for Wadi As-Seir and ask
to be dropped off at Dawaar As-Saabe'a (7th ring).
There are,
of course, car rental agencies in Amman as well.
By train
Railway company in Jordan: HJR (Hedjaz Jordan Railway), see seat61
for details. Since around 2005, rail links within Jordan and to
Damascus have unfortunately been halted and are unlikely to resume.
From time to time there are railway excursions, and there is also a
local railway connection with Zarqa (Zarqa). But this happens no
more than once a week, and even less often. However, even if you
don't (or can't) take the train, Amman's tiny, cozy railway station
(Mahatta) with its museum deserves a visit.
By taxi
A taxi
from/to the bridge on the border with Israel costs 25 dinars and
takes one hour. Here, for example, is the number of a taxi driver
who is known for carrying tourists over long distances: 0779037904
Nick Taxi service company & tours.
Transport
Taxi
Yellow and gray taxis are readily available
anywhere in Amman. Just call them on the street like the Jordanians
do. Amman taxis will have a green logo on the driver and passenger
doors. Gray taxis have advertising placed on top of the car. Try not
to stop taxis with logos of a different color: they are based in
other cities and are prohibited by law from charging fares in Amman.
White taxis are shuttles, and the driver can pick up other
passengers along the way, which can cause confusion.
By law,
taxis in Amman must use taximeters, and most taxi drivers turn on
the meter as soon as they pick up a passenger. Most trips within
Amman should cost less than 2-3 dinars, and even a trip from one end
of the city to the other should not cost more than 5 dinars. Taxis
are not required to use taximeters after midnight, and taxi drivers
often charge double the fare for overnight rides. Beware of drivers
offering you a short ride "free" as an "invitation to Jordan",
especially if you're walking between a fortress and an ancient Roman
amphitheatre: they will then offer to wait for you to take you to
your next destination and use the "free" ride as an excuse to
disable the counter. Then they will demand sky-high money from you
upon arrival at your next destination.
The basic taximeter
fare was changed in 2007 from 150 filis (0.150 dinars) to 250 filis
(0.250 dinars) due to rising oil prices, however, not all taxis have
changed their old meters to new ones, and when a taxi uses an old
meter, the taxi driver will legally ask you will have to pay an
additional 10 piastres (100 fillets) over the meter reading.
However, make sure that you note the initial amount as soon as the
taxi driver turns on the meter so that he does not charge you these
"10 piastres" if he has a new meter. Usually taxi drivers are not
tipped, instead the fare is simply rounded up to the nearest 5 or 10
piastres. It should be noted that many taxi drivers do not carry a
lot of change money, so if possible, you should give them money for
settlement. If a taxi driver pretends not to have change, he
probably just wants to keep it so you have to pay more. If you don't
like it, ask the driver to find a nearby store and change money, or
change it yourself in the store, or (if you're not afraid to be
rude) look at the taxi driver's cashier to find change.
The
negotiated taxi fare from Amman to the airport is 20 dinars or more,
although some taxi drivers can be persuaded to 15 or even 10 dinars
(which will be close to the taximeter fare). All taxis are allowed
to take passengers to the airport: only special airport taxis are
allowed to take passengers from the airport to the city.
If
you are going to a fortress, call it al'Aqal. The taxi driver may
try to convince you that the ancient Roman amphitheater is better
(this is so that he can drop you off at the foot of the hill). It
will be better if you are dropped off at the fortress, from where
you can go down the hill to the ancient Roman amphitheater.
Car rental
There are several car rental companies in Jordan,
including international Hertz, Sixt, National. Some of them will
even provide a free driver if you rent a car.
By bus
Large
city buses operate in many parts of Amman. They are used by low-paid
workers, working youth and foreign workers, but they are completely
safe. As of January 2011, the fare was 380 fillis. Pay the exact
amount (or overpay): the driver has no change! It is also possible
to top up a bus fare card with a few dinars and swipe it through the
reader at the entrance to the bus, but places to buy and top up such
a card are rare. Most buses have route numbers, but some only show
the destination in Arabic. Bus number 26 runs very conveniently
between the old city (Balad) and the 7th ring on Zahran street.
Route number 27 runs from the old city towards the chic Abdoun area.
Route number 43 passes near Shmeisani (as well as number 46) and
then goes along Mecca Street to the Mecca Mall. Many bus stops are
visible from the bus stop pavilions, but buses also drop off
passengers at non-safe stops. Private minibuses follow the routes of
city buses. They do not show route numbers, but the conductor
usually calls out the destination.
You can visit the amazing
ancient Roman amphitheater and nymphaeum, representing the
historical heritage of the city, as well as the bewitching Fortress,
which has been standing since the ancient Ammonites. You can take a
leisurely stroll through the King Hussein Park and visit the
Automobile Museum, which displays the late King Hussein's car
collection, or the Children's Museum.
Of interest is the
Jabal Amman 1st Circle Walking Trail with coffee shops and
magnificent traditional villas. There is a leaflet describing the
route at the Wild Jordan Cafe.
If shopping is your thing, the
Wakalat pedestrian shopping area has a great selection of
international fashion brands.
For a more exotic and
traditional experience, you can visit the old city center, also
known as the souk (market), enjoy the traditional sights and flavors
of the spice market, and shop for authentic souvenirs.
Although Amman is the capital of a multi-faceted kingdom, it
cannot be said that it is packed with sights and serves as a gateway
to them. Nevertheless, there are a couple of historical and cultural
monuments in the city (take a maximum of 2 days to study them).
Roman Amphitheatre (Roman
Theatre). entrance 1 dinar. Built in the reign of Antony Pius,
138-161. n. e., this majestic amphitheater could accommodate up to 6
thousand spectators. Next to it are the Folklore Museum and the Pop
Culture Museum, which are included in the admission price.
Amman
Fortress (The Citadel, جبل القلعة, Jabal
al-Qal'a) (located in the heart of the city). A monument of national
history representing significant civilizations and reflecting the
rise and fall of empires. The history of human settlement in this
place exceeds 7 thousand len.
Jordan
Archaeological Museum (located in the Amman Fort). The
museum has a small but interesting collection of antiquities from
all over Jordan. Fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were
previously exhibited here, are now transferred to the new National
Museum of Jordan.
Temple of Hercules
(located in the Amman Fort). Ruins of the ancient Roman period.
Byzantine Basilica (located in
the Amman Fortress). It belongs to the 5th-6th centuries.
Umayyad
Palace (located in the northern part of the Amman Fort). entrance
ticket 2 dinars. The palace offers a magnificent view of Amman.
Nymphaeum. Ancient Roman fountain.
Ammonite Watch Tower. The
watchtower belongs to the Ammonite era.
Darat al-Funun. The Darat
al-Funun or "little house of art" at Jabal el-Waybdeh, overlooking
the heart of Amman, is housed in three adjacent 1920s villas. (and
in the ruins of a 6th-century Byzantine church built over an ancient
Roman temple), has a permanent exhibition, and also hosts temporary
exhibitions. In the same area there are other small art galleries
and the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts.
st. Rainbow
(Rainbow St.) (located at the 1st ring in Jabal Amman). This is an
interesting area to walk and explore. The street is named after the
old Rainbow Cinema, which is now out of business, but the area has
recently been revitalized, many old houses are being restored and
used, there are several cafes and bars in the area, including
Books@cafe and Wild Jordan with great views, baths (Hammam), the
Royal Film Commission (Royal Film Commission), which sometimes
shoots outdoors in the courtyard, as well as a number of interesting
shops. Across the street from the British Council (British Council)
on the street. Rabugi is a cool Turtle Green Tea Bar, where
everything is in English and where you can borrow a laptop for
Internet access during meals.
Cultural life in Amman has somewhat
revived, in particular, given such cultural centers and clubs as the
Makan House, Al Balad Theater, Amman Filmmakers Cooperative, Remall,
Zara Gallery » (Zara gallery). Around September 1, the Jordan Short
Film Festival is held.
Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts
The city was founded several thousand years ago. Its ancient name is Rabbat-Ammon - "the city of Ammon." In the III century BC. e. renamed Philadelphia in honor of the Egyptian king Ptolemy II, who had the nickname "Philadelphos" ("brotherly"); this name was used until the first centuries of our era.
In the XIII century BC the city of Amman (called at that time
Rabbat-Ammon) was the capital of the Ammon kingdom. This territory was
later conquered by the ancient Assyrians, even later by the Persians,
then by the Greeks. Ptolemy II, the Greek ruler of Egypt, renamed it
Philadelphia.
During the fourth Syrian war, in 218 BC the city
became a stronghold of Ptolemaic Egypt in the fight against Antiochus
and the Arabs who joined him. A significant military contingent was
stationed in Rabbataman. Therefore, Antiochus III marched against the
city and encamped in front of the heights on which he was. After a
reconnaissance, Antiochus proceeded to build siege engines in the two
most vulnerable places. He entrusted the commission of these affairs in
one place to Nikarchus, in another to Theodotus. And he himself followed
all the work and diligence of both bosses. Theodotus and Nycarchus were
diligently competing with each other in the conduct of the siege, so in
both places the wall collapsed sooner than might have been expected.
After that, daily bloody assaults on the breaches began, which
nevertheless ended in failure due to the numerous garrison. Finally, one
of the prisoners opened an underground passage for the Syrians, through
which the besieged descended for drinking water. The besiegers destroyed
this course and laid it with firewood, rubble and the like. After that,
the lack of water forced the defenders to surrender. Antiochus appointed
Nicarchus as head of the Syrian garrison.
In 217 BC
Rabbatamanach, after the battle of Rafia, returned to the control of
Ptolemy IV Flopator.
The city became part of the Nabatean kingdom
until 106 AD. BC, when Philadelphia came under Roman control and joined
the Decapolis.
In 326 a.d. e. Christianity became the main
religion of the Byzantine Empire and Philadelphia became the seat of a
diocese at the start of the Byzantine era. One of the churches of this
period is located in the citadel of the city. 60 km from the city is one
of the first Islamic buildings in the region, Qasr Harana.
Philadelphia was renamed Amman during the Ghassanid era. The city was
destroyed by several earthquakes and natural disasters and remained a
small city and a pile of ruins until 1887. That all changed when the
Ottoman Sultan decided to build the "Hijaz" railway, linking Damascus
and Medina via Amman, facilitating both the annual Hajj pilgrimage and
regular trade.
The city is located 35 km northeast of the Dead Sea, 110 km east of
the Mediterranean Sea and 65 km east of Jerusalem.
The city is
located on seven hills, which are represented on the flag of Jordan by a
seven-pointed star.
The climate of Amman is close to the
Mediterranean, but still more continental. The high altitude (773 m)
also influences. All precipitation falls strictly in winter, snow often
falls in winter and frosts are not uncommon. Heavy fogs are very
frequent in the city.