Best of Jerash

Jerash Essentials

Jerash, the ancient Gerasa, showcases the architectural height of the Roman Decapolis. This collection includes the expansive Oval Forum with its 56 Ionic columns and the 1st-century South Theater, known for its remarkable acoustics. Beyond Roman ruins like the Temple of Artemis and the chariot-racing Hippodrome, the list features the 12th-century Ajlun Castle, a fortress built to defend against Crusader expansion, and 6th-century Byzantine churches containing intricate and well-preserved mosaic floors.

Jerash Essentials — Map

Bernard Gagnon / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Archaeological Site of Jerash

Jerash is a city in northern Jordan. The city is the administrative center of the Jerash Governorate, and has a population of 50,745 as of…

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Ajlun Castle

Ajloun Castle, medieval name Qalʻat ar-Rabad, is a 12th-century Muslim castle situated in northwestern Jordan.

Arian Zwegers / CC BY 2.0

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Oval Forum

An expansive elliptical plaza measuring 90 by 80 meters, enclosed by a colonnade of 56 Ionic columns. It serves as the architectural link between the Cardo Maximus and the Temple of Zeus.

Berthold Werner / CC BY 3.0

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The South Theater

Completed around 92 AD, this Roman theater seats over 3,000 spectators. It features a decorated two-story stage backdrop and is still used today for performances due to its preserved acoustics.

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

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Artemis Temple

Constructed between 150 and 170 AD, this temple was dedicated to the city's patron goddess. It stands on a high podium and retains eleven of its original 12-meter-high Corinthian columns.

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Nymphaeum

An ornate public fountain built in 191 AD. This two-story structure was originally decorated with marble carvings and mosaics, featuring a large basin where water once cascaded from lion-head spouts.

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Hippodrome

A 244-meter-long arena built between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD for chariot racing. The stadium could once hold 15,000 spectators and is one of the best-preserved examples of its kind.

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

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South Decumanus

A primary east-west Roman thoroughfare that intersects the Cardo Maximus. The street retains its original stone paving and is lined with the remains of ancient commercial structures.

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3 Church: St Cosmos & St Damianus/ St George/St John the Baptist;3 churches;Church of Cosmas and Damianus

A cluster of three 6th-century Byzantine churches sharing a single atrium. The complex is notable for its intricate and well-preserved geometric mosaic floors, particularly in the Church of St. Cosmos and St. Damian.

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Macellum

A mid-2nd-century Roman marketplace featuring an octagonal courtyard. The site includes remains of a central fountain and individual stalls that once served as the city's primary food market.

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