Amman

Amman, Jordan

A wide view of Amman's pale limestone houses on the hills during a golden hour sunset.

Jordan's capital is a hillside city of pale stone, where Roman columns, Umayyad ruins and modern cafés share the same few streets.

The place

Amman is the capital of Jordan and the seat of government, and it is the main engine of the country's economy and arts scene. It is home to about four million people, which makes it the largest city in the country, and it sits on a cluster of hills at roughly 776 metres above sea level. The city does not follow a grid. Neighbourhoods climb and fall across the slopes, so moving from one district to the next often means a steep stretch of stairs or a short taxi ride. The older core lies around the Citadel in the downtown area, while newer districts spread westwards with office towers and residential blocks. Traffic is heavy at rush hour, and dust can hang in the air on dry days. Evenings are noticeably cooler than the afternoons, even in summer, because of the altitude. Amman is generally seen as more relaxed about everyday life than many cities in the region, which is one reason it attracts students and expatriates who come to study or work. Most visitors stay for a few days and use the city as a base for trips to Jordan's ancient sites and desert landscapes. The sights are spread out, so it helps to plan around two or three areas rather than trying to cover everything in one day. Taxis and minibuses handle most local travel, and agreeing a fare before setting off is normal practice.

Its story

Long before Amman became a capital, people lived on its hills. At 'Ain Ghazal, on the outskirts of today's city, a Neolithic village reached its peak around 7000 BC. It covered about 15 hectares and was home to roughly 3,000 people. The houses were rectangular and built of mud brick, with lime-plastered walls and a main square living room. Road workers uncovered the site in 1974, and excavation began in 1982, by which time a road had already cut through part of it. Despite that damage, the site has yielded a great deal of evidence about early farming life. Its best-known finds came to light in 1983, when archaeologists reached the edge of a large pit holding thirty-two plaster figures with painted eyes. Fifteen were full figures, fifteen were busts and two were fragmentary heads. They are often described as the oldest human statues known. In the Iron Age the settlement, then called Rabat Amman, served as the capital of the Ammonite kingdom. In the 3rd century BC the Greeks took the city and renamed it Philadelphia. It later came under Nabataean and Roman rule, and Roman buildings still stand on the Citadel hill. In the 7th century the Rashidun Caliphate conquered the city and restored its older name. The Islamic centuries brought alternating periods of prosperity and devastation. From the 15th century until 1878 the town was largely abandoned, and that year Circassians were resettled there, which marks the start of the modern city.

What to see

Culture

Amman has a mixed character. Modern cafés, bookshops and galleries sit beside mosques and churches in many of the same neighbourhoods, and the city has a long tradition of hosting students and foreign workers. Museums offer a good way into this. The Jordan Museum, the largest in the country, holds much of its archaeological record, including the Neolithic limestone statues from 'Ain Ghazal and a copy of the Mesha Stele. Smaller collections include the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, the Jordan Folklore Museum and the Royal Automobile Museum. Amman joined UNESCO's Global Network of Learning Cities in 2015, and its universities and cultural institutions remain active. Conversation with shopkeepers and taxi drivers is often friendly and unhurried, so allow time for it. Dress and behaviour matter more in religious spaces and in conservative neighbourhoods than in the central districts. When you visit a mosque or church, dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, and ask before photographing anyone, especially women.

What to wear

Traditional dress in Jordan includes the thobe, a long, loose robe worn by men, often in plain cotton or wool and sometimes with a band of embroidery at the neck. The keffiyeh, a square headcloth usually in red-and-white or black-and-white checks, is worn by men across the country and is held in place with a cord. Women in rural and Bedouin traditions wore long embroidered dresses in bright cotton, with geometric stitching often worked in red, green and blue. Today, most people in Amman dress in Western-style clothes such as shirts, trousers, jeans and dresses. Men may put on a thobe for weddings, religious occasions and family events, and many women wear a headscarf, while others do not. Visitors should dress for the heat and for modesty. Lightweight, loose clothing that covers the shoulders and knees is comfortable in summer and suits mosques and churches. A light scarf or shawl is useful for covering your shoulders at religious sites. Evenings can turn cool, so pack a layer. The Citadel and the hills around downtown call for sturdy shoes with good grip, because the paths and stairs are steep and can be slippery when dusty.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. Winter, from December to February, is the most comfortable time for walking the hills and visiting the Citadel, although nights are close to freezing and this is also the wettest period. Summer afternoons are hot, although evenings stay cooler at this altitude. Winter is mild by day but brings rain and chilly nights.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Queen Alia International Airport. Catch the Airport Express at its designated stop on the arrivals floor; it departs on the hour, adds more frequent runs during daylight hours, and does not operate at night. Buy the ticket from the kiosk outside the exit.

Budget. low

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources