Sightseeing in Madaba - what to see. Complete travel guide

Madaba is one of the most notable towns that the Holy Land of Jordan is proud of. Quite often, this town is called by its unofficial name – “the land of mosaics”. Having visited this settlement, tourists quickly understand that this name precisely describes Madaba. Fortunately, many precious Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics have survived here until modern times. The 4th-century map of Jerusalem with the image of the Holy Land is one of the most famous and widely recognized mosaic paintings in Madaba. Besides this masterpiece, more than two million colorful stones formed picturesque paintings that immortalize local hills and valleys.

First mentions of the ancient Jordanian settlement appeared yet during the Bronze Age. The Bible mentioned Madaba several times as a Moabite border city. During the reign of the Roman and Byzantine empires in the 2nd to 7th century, the Jordanian city was a part of the Provincia Arabia. The Roman Emperor Trajan established that province. By doing this, he was trying to replace the Nabataean Kingdom formed earlier. The first evidence of a Christian community in the region in the historical documents dates back to 551 AD. This community even had its own bishop.

After the formation of the Islamic Umayyad caliphate, Madaba became a part of the southern region of Jund Filastin. This district, in its turn, was a part of the province of Bilad al-Sham. Madaba was severely damaged during a devastating earthquake that happened in the area in 746. The consequences of this natural disaster were truly horrible – many people died under the ruins of their own houses and the city was nearly wiped off the face of the earth. Christians returned to this region and removed the ruins only in the 80s of the 19th century. A new Jordanian city appeared on the site of the former one. Arabian settlers were the first inhabitants of the new city. Nowadays, there are large groups of both Muslims and Christians in Madaba. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The church built in honor of Saint George is one of the main attractions of the city. There was a Byzantine temple in this area before. The shrine was built in the 6th century. After the earthquake, the church, just like the rest of the city, turned into ruins. The building remained in this disastrous condition for more than a thousand years. Christian pilgrims managed to not only discover the long lost city and unearth its ruins but also identify the ancient shrine. Needless to say, they decided to rebuild the church. Despite the poor condition, the church still had its fabulous mosaic made of ancient masters.

The Church of Saint George celebrated its second birth in 1896. It required much work and effort to restore the architectural landmark. Nowadays, all visitors have an opportunity to take a look at the map of Palestine that has the border of the holy Jordanian land. The map is fully made from mosaic pieces. The city is proud of this heritage because the Madaba Map is the oldest mosaic floor map ever found in the world. In order to create this grandiose artwork, which is fifteen meters long and six meters wide, the master needed two million stones. Unfortunately, only one-fourth of the original mosaic has survived until modern days.

There is an interesting museum not far from the Church of Saint George in Madaba. This museum opened in 1978. At a glance, the building, in which the cultural and historical establishment is open, looks unsightly and ordinary. That being said, the museum is really worth the attention. The collection is exhibited in a relatively small hall in a usual residential building. However, despite the modest size, the exhibition features many interesting items.

There are unique mosaic pictures with various plants, floral ornaments, various species of birds that are already extinct, interesting underwater creatures, representatives of the local fauna, and, without a doubt, mythical animals that are present in many legends and tales of the past.

Are you a fan of active recreation? You will find it exciting to participate in special entertaining tours. For guests of Madaba, these tours are a fantastic opportunity to see the main attractions of the city’s neighborhoods. The main part of the hiking tour lies in the Wadi Mujib river canyon. This is a picturesque place that has impressed generations of people with its beauty. It is important to mention that this hiking tour is not easy and is suitable for tourists who are used to walking long distances. During the tour, you will need to cross the river rapids. It is even possible to climb up using the alpinist equipment.

Madaba is situated forty-five minutes from the nearby city of Amman. The road, which connects these two settlements, heads to the local airport. As a rule, a bus to Madaba departs from Amman at 2 pm. As there is a tour guide together with passengers, the road will not be boring. If you plan to travel independently, you can choose a minibus to the Jordanian “city of mosaics”. These mini buses do not have a fixed schedule – they depart as soon as they are full.