Amman: Encyclopedia - Amman

Amman

Amman (Arabic عمان ʿAmmān), the capital of the Kingdom of Jordan, is a city of more than 1.6 million inhabitants (2000), and is the commercial and administrative centre of Jordan.

Amman - History

Throughout history, Amman has been inhabited by several civilizations. The first civilization on record is during the Neolithic period, around 6500 BC, where archaeological discoveries in Ain Ghazal, located in eastern Amman, showed evidence of not only a settled life but also the growth of artistic work, which suggests that a well-developed civilization inhabited the city at that time.

In the 13th century BC Amman was called Rabbath Ammon or Rabat Amon by the Ammonites (רַבַּת עַמּוֹן, Standard Hebrew Rabbat ʿAmmon, Tiberian Hebrew Rabbaṯ ʿAmmôn). It was later conquered by the Assyrians, followed by the Persians, and then the Greeks. Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the Hellenic ruler of Egypt, renamed it Philadelphia. The city became part of the Nabataean kingdom until AD 106 when Philadelphia came under Roman control and joined the Decapolis - a league of ten cities.

In 324 AD, Christianity became the religion of the empire and Philadelphia became the seat of bishopric during the beginning of the Byzantine era. One of the churches of this period can be seen on the city's Citadel. Philadelphia was renamed to Amman during the Ghassanian era, and flourished under the Ummayads and the Abbasids. It was then destroyed by several earthquakes and natural disasters and remained a small village and a pile of ruins until the Circassians settlement in 1887.

In 1921, Abdullah I chose Amman as seat of his new government, the Emirate of Transjordan, and later as the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Amman remained a small city until 1948, when the population expanded considerably due to an influx of Palestinian refugees. Amman has experienced exceptionally rapid development since 1952 under the leadership of their Majesties King Hussein and King Abdullah.

The city's population continues to expand at a dizzying pace (fueled by refugees escaping the wartime events in Palestine and Iraq). During the last 10 years the amount of new building within the city has increased dramatically with new districts of the city being founded at a very rapid pace (particularly so in West Amman), straining the very scarce water supplies of Jordan as a whole.

In 2005, a series of coordinated explosions rocked three hotels in Amman, shocking and angering the population of the peaceful city. The terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility.

The city's future looks bright, and Amman seeks to continue its dominant position as the cultural and economic center of the central Middle East and the Arab world.

Amman - Geography

Amman is located in a hilly area of north-eastern Jordan. The city was originally built on seven hills, but it now spans over an area of nineteen hills (each known as a jabel or "mountain"). The main areas of Amman gain their names from the hills on whose slopes they lie.

Amman - Transportation

The city's main airport, Queen Alia International Airport, is situated about 30 minutes south of Amman and hosts the majority of the air travel to and from the country.

By land, the city has frequent bus connections to other cities in Jordan as well as to major cities in neighboring countries; the latter are also served by service taxis. Internal transport is served by a number of bus routes and taxis. Service taxis, which most often operate on fixed routes, are readily available. The city suffers from considerable traffic congestion at peak hours.

Amman - Tourism

Much of Amman's tourism is focused in the older downtown area, which is centered around the old Souk (a colorful traditional market) and the King Hussein Mosque. The downtown area (known locally as the Balad) has been completely dwarfed by the sprawling urban areas that surround it. Despite the changes, much remains of its old character. For those seeking the atmosphere of the Old City, it is best to venture to the district east of Jabal Amman. There, in the bustle of daily life, you can explore the capital's greatest souqs, fine museums, ancient constructions, monuments, and cultural sites.

The Citadel hill of Amman, known as Jabal el Qala, has been inhabited for centuries, important as a military and religious site. It dates back to Roman and Byzantine times, and later work was carried out in the early Islamic era. Remains unearthed at the northern and eastern ends of the Citadel, possibly date back to the Bronze Age. The Citadel also is home to the Temple of Hercules which is said to have been constructed under the Roman empirical ruler Marcus Aurelius who reigned from AD 161-180, is similar to the Temple of Artemis in Jerash.

Since Amman resembles to Rome, as it is situated on seven hills, the city was a favorite place for Roman soldiers and officials. Behind the Roman forum stands a Roman theatre—the largest theatre in Jordan—with room for 6,000 spectators. Thought to have been built between AD 138 and AD 161 by the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, it is constructed into the side of the mountain and is still used for sport displays and cultural events.

Amman is also home to some of the grandest mosques in the Middle East. The newest of these is the enormous King Abdullah I Mosque, built between 1982 and 1989. It is capped by a magnificent blue mosaic dome beneath which 3,000 Muslims may offer prayer. The most unusual mosque in Amman is the Abu Darweesh Mosque atop Jabal Ashrafieh (the highest point in the city). It is covered with an extraordinary black and white chequered pattern and is unique to Jordan. In contrast, the interior is totally free of the black and white scheme. Instead, there are light colored walls and Persian carpets. This religious building was erected by one of Amman's Circassian immigrants.

Amman - Nearby places of interest

Amman is conveniently located for many Jordanian attractions favoured by tourists. It is a mere 45 minute trip by car to several interesting locations:

• The Baptism Site (Al-Maghtas in Arabic) on the River Jordan where Jesus is believed to have been baptized by John the Baptist
• Mount Nebo where, according to Christians, Moses is supposed to have died
• The unique ultra saline waters of the Dead Sea
• Jerash, a city of the Decapolis and considered one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East

Amman - Gallery

2002 view of Eastern Amman

2002 picture of Central Amman (downtown)

Abu Darweesh Mosque

Amman cityscape at night

A Coptic Church is an example of Amman's religious diversity

A Scene showing Domestic Valleys of Amman

Sunrise in Amman

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Amman", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki