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MIDDLE EAST • JORDAN<br />
Discover Jordan<br />
Jordan is a kingdom packed with history<br />
and culture, full of Roman cities, Crusader<br />
castles and biblical sites. There are also some<br />
unmissable natural sites, from its beautiful<br />
nature reserves and the desert landscapes of<br />
Wadi Rum to the mineral-rich waters of the<br />
Dead Sea and the glittering Red Sea.<br />
Whether it’s culture, cuisine, natural wonders<br />
or relaxation you’re seeking, you'll find it<br />
all here. Amman, the capital, is the starting<br />
point <strong>for</strong> most, its modern buildings blending<br />
with the remnants of ancient civilisations.<br />
Jordan’s modest size means that many of its<br />
sites can be easily combined, and it pairs well<br />
with Israel, Egypt or Lebanon <strong>for</strong> a longer<br />
holiday.<br />
IMAGE<br />
Petra<br />
Nabataean capital • UNESCO archaeological site<br />
IMAGE<br />
No exploration of Jordan would be complete<br />
without visiting the ancient site of Petra.<br />
Founded in about the sixth century BC as the<br />
capital city of the Nabataean civilisation, the<br />
site has since been settled by the Romans,<br />
Crusaders and the Byzantine Empire, all<br />
of whom left churches, <strong>for</strong>tifications and<br />
monuments.<br />
Jerash<br />
Roman ruins • Christian churches & mosaics<br />
The Monastery, Petra<br />
The walk through the 1,600-metre-long Siq, a<br />
natural corridor through the rock, only three<br />
metres wide in places and ending in front<br />
of the Treasury, provides one of the most<br />
memorable moments in Middle East travel.<br />
There are also various walks throughout the<br />
site that reveal hundreds of smaller buildings<br />
and tombs.<br />
North of Amman, the Graeco-Roman city of<br />
Jerash is widely regarded as the best-preserved<br />
city of the Decapolis, a confederation of ten<br />
Roman cities dating from the first century<br />
AD. As you approach the ruins, the imposing<br />
triumphal arch comes into view, built to<br />
honour the arrival of Emperor Hadrian in<br />
129AD.<br />
Beyond the arch, continuing excavation work<br />
has revealed two theatres, a <strong>for</strong>um, temples<br />
dedicated to Zeus and Artemis, a hippodrome,<br />
a long colonnaded street known as the Cardo<br />
and an almost complete circuit of city walls.<br />
From 350AD, a large Christian community<br />
lived here. They left their mark in the various<br />
churches and mosaic floors that remain.<br />
Jerash<br />
22<br />
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