If I tell you Jordan, what do you think about? Let me guess… Petra? Most of the advertisement for Jordan is about Petra. And this is understandable because this is a stunning park (yes, it’s more than just the door you see on traveling magazines). But, despite being a very small country, Jordan has a lot to offer! And one of the places I was glad I discovered was Jerash!
Jerash Reminded Me Of Pompeii
With its paved roads, where you sometimes can still see the traces of carriage wheels, Jerash is a great way to learn about the lives of Romans. Indeed, Jerash is a Greco-Roman heritage.
The city’s name changed several times before becoming Jerash. The first Arabic residents called the village Garshu. Then, the Romans transformed the Arabic name into Gerasa and later, the Arab and Circassian residents transformed it again into Jerash.
Why does Jerash remind me (and other people) of Pompeii? Well, because the roads are similar, with the pavement, the traces of carriage wheels and the pedestrian crossings (blocks of stones that allowed people to cross the road without walking in the mud/water) and because there are mosaics there too. In both cities, you can really see the genius of Roman architects. Even the water distribution and sewage system is impressive!
Starting The Day In Amman
We started with a smaller ancient site: the Amman Citadel. There, you can see ruins of ancient temples and churches. There is also a museum. It takes about an hour to visit the whole site, I would say.
The museum is nice, but a bit old. You’re going to laugh, but what I loved most was the security system! Seriously, it’s awesome! When you approach some pieces too much, this old ringing noise starts. The thing is, since it sounds like an old telephone, you kind of look for an old phone. Most people don’t get that they are too close to the sarcophagus, they don’t necessarily back off, they just look for the old phone that’s ringing. It took us a while to understand that it was an alarm. We laughed so much when we realized what it was. So vintage!
Then, we went down the city to see the theater located right at the bottom of a hill. There are also small museums there, on both sides of the theater. They show clothes and mosaics, and give information about the lives and cultures of people who lived there. It’s not a must-do, but it can be interesting.
Blown Away By Jerash’s Beauty
We took the bus to have lunch before coming to Jerash. Honestly, I think I was confused about the difference between Amman and Jerash. Because I thought that we had done most of the visits in the morning. But I was so wrong! The best part was the afternoon. That’s when we went to the real jewel: the open air museum of Jerash, which is basically a whole ancient city. And that’s the part that reminded me of Pompeii.
First, the Arch of Hadrian sets the tone. This 11m high triple-arched gateway is huge. And so detailed! It was built to honor the visit of Roman Emperor Hadrian to the city. This is certainly an excellent introduction to Jerash city.
And from that point, I was just so happy to be there. Everything looked incredible! For example, the colonnaded streets are so beautiful with the afternoon sun. Jordanians did an extraordinary work restoring the whole site! There are several theaters, sometimes hard to find, but always worth the effort. There are temples, mosaics… And it’s not a small village, Jerash is huge!!
For sure, the Oval Plaza will leave you breathless. This large square measures 90 x 80m and is surrounded by beautiful Ionic columns. The conservation status truly is impressive.
How Much Time To Visit Jerash
It depends on your pace. I think you need one full day to really appreciate the site. It is quite big and if you want to rest from time to time, you’ll need more than just half a day. We walked around the site in one afternoon and we saw most of the places, but not all. And we sometimes went faster than I would have wanted to.
I like to take my time to take pictures and enjoy the scenery. For once, I had booked a guided tour, so I had to accelerate the pace. However, since we were a small group (4 people), the guide was giving us enough time, I think. It really depends on your interest for this kind of places.
We were staying in Amman, and it was not too far. This is probably the best option to find an accommodation in the city center (with restaurants and bars) and to not be too far from Jerash.
To see more photos of Jordan, you can visit the gallery Jordan.
