Sightseeing in Madaba - what to see. Complete travel guide

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 The first evidence of a Christian community in the region in the historical documents dates back to 551 AD.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.
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.

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.

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.

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City tours, excursions and tickets in Madaba and surroundings
Reference information
Survived castles around Madaba
♥ Castle 'Kerak' , 60 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Qasr Kharana' , 63.3 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Rabadh Castle' , 67.7 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Qasr Amra' , 75.6 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Shmemis' , 109.4 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Kerak' , 60 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Qasr Kharana' , 63.3 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Rabadh Castle' , 67.7 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Qasr Amra' , 75.6 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Shmemis' , 109.4 km from the center. On the map


National and city parks around Madaba
♥ National Park 'Mezada (Harhava)' , 61.1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Aqwa Bella' , 63.5 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Hare Yehuda' , 72.6 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Bet Guvrin' , 86 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Mazoleum Mazor' , 87.9 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Mezada (Harhava)' , 61.1 km from the center. On the map


♥ National Park 'Aqwa Bella' , 63.5 km from the center. On the map


♥ National Park 'Hare Yehuda' , 72.6 km from the center. On the map


♥ National Park 'Bet Guvrin' , 86 km from the center. On the map


♥ National Park 'Mazoleum Mazor' , 87.9 km from the center. On the map


Art galleries in Madaba and around
♥ Art museum 'Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts' Amman, 28.9 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts' Amman, 28.9 km from the center. On the map


Sights around Madaba from our guide 'Extreme places on Earth'
Cave of Patriarchs
From the series “The Surviving Artifacts of Jewish Civilization”
Check on the map:
Distance from Madaba center - 68.1 km.
In recent years, the main threat to the world-famous shrines are terrorists. Not only the historic building, but parishioners suffered from them. Despite this, the Cave of the Patriarchs each year is visited by thousands of pilgrims from around the world. The vault will be a boon for those interested in the ancient architecture. A spacious hall with a high ceiling and large windows represents the traditional painting and artistic mosaic. The design of the crypt is luxurious and very discreet at the same time. …
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Dead Sea
From the series “Amazing Land Areas Below the Sea Level”
Check on the map:
Distance from Madaba center - 65.2 km.
The main secret of the Dead Sea and the surrounding landscapes is very simple - on the sea floor are the countless salt rocks. Due to the high level of water evaporation, the number of salinizations on the coast is always very high. In some places, they form the petrified structures of the strange forms which can not be seen in any other place in the world. Tourists visiting the west or east coast of the Dead Sea can not only look at the unique salinizations, but also the wonderful mountain landscapes. …
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Synagogue Hasidut Belz
From the series “The most luxury and famous synagogues”
Check on the map:
Distance from Madaba center - 56.2 km.
The synagogue has many interesting features. It is the largest in Israel since its construction. The height of the synagogue ark is 12 meters. Up to 70 Torah scrolls can fit in it at a time. This unique indicator allowed the Hasidic Belz synagogue to become a record holder in the Guinness Book of records. The luxurious candelabra decorate the hall. They also deserve special attention. Each of them is made up of 200,000 crystal elements. The best Czech crystal was used for making chandeliers. …
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Sightseeing in Jordan: things to see


Search touristic sites on the map of Madaba

