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Jordan
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which once captivated
ancient travellers, continues to enthral a whole new generation
as a modern, vibrant nation.
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Jordan
, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is an
Arab country in the Middle East. It is bordered by
Syria to the north, Iraq to the north-east, Saudi
Arabia to the east and south, and Israel and the Palestinian
Territories/ Israeli-occupied territories to the west.
It shares with Israel and the Palestinian Territories
the coastlines of the Dead Sea, and the Gulf of Aqaba
with Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
Jordan
is a constitutional monarchy based on the constitution
promulgated on January 8, 1952. Executive authority
is vested in the king and his council of ministers.
The king signs and executes all laws. His veto power
may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of both houses
of the National Assembly.
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Jordan
consists mostly of arid desert plateau in the east, with Highland
area in the west. The Great Rift Valley of the Jordan River
separates Jordan and Israel. The highest point in the country
is Jabal Ram (1,734 m; 5,689 ft), while the lowest is the
Dead Sea (-486 m; -1,594 ft). Jordan is part of a region considered
to be "the cradle of civilization".
Major
cities include the capital Amman in the northwest, Irbid and
Az Zarqa, both in the north.
The
climate in Jordan is dry and hot, since the country is mainly
desert. However, the western part of the country receives
greater precipitation during the rainy season from November
to April.
Visa
Requirements
The cost of one entry visa for all nationalities is JD 10
(around$14)
for all nationalities and for multiple entries it is JD 20
(around $28).
| Major
Jordan Attractions |
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| Petra
Entrance to the city
is through the Siq, a narrow gorge, over 1 kilometre
in length, which is flanked on either side by soaring,
80 metres high cliffs. Just walking through the Siq
is an experience in itself. The colours and formations
of the rocks are dazzling. As you reach the end of the
Siq you will catch your first glimpse of Al-Khazneh
(Treasury).
This is an awe-inspiring
experience. A massive façade, 30m wide and 43m
high, carved out of the sheer, dusky pink, rock-face
and dwarfing everything around it. It was carved in
the early 1st century as the tomb of an important Nabataean
king and represents the engineering genius of these
ancient people.
The Crusaders constructed
a fort there in the 12th century, but soon withdrew,
leaving Petra to the local people until the early 19th
century, when it was rediscovered by the Swiss explorer
Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812.
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Jordan
Valley and the Dead Sea
The
lowest point on the face of the earth, this vast, stretch
of water receives a number of incoming rivers, including the
River Jordan. Once the waters reach the Dead Sea they are
land-locked and have nowhere to go, so they evaporate, leaving
behind a dense, rich, cocktail of salts and minerals that
supply industry, agriculture and medicine with some of its
finest products.
The
Dead Sea is flanked by mountains to the east and the rolling
hills of Jerusalem to the west, giving it an almost other-worldly
beauty. Although sparsely populated and serenely quiet now,
the area is believed to have been home to five Biblical cities:
Sodom, Gomorrah, Adman, Zebouin and Zoar.
One
of the most spectacular natural and spiritual landscapes in
the world, the Jordanian east coast of the Dead Sea has evolved
into a major hub of both religious and health & wellness
tourism in the region. A series of good roads, excellent hotels
with spa and fitness facilities, as well as archaeological
and spiritual discoveries make this region as enticing to
today’s international visitors as it was to kings, emperors,
traders, prophets and pilgrims in antiquity.
The
leading attraction at the Dead Sea is the warm, soothing,
super salty water itself – some ten times saltier than
sea water, and rich in chloride salts of magnesium, sodium,
potassium, bromine and several others. The unusually warm,
incredibly buoyant and mineral-rich waters have attracted
visitors since ancient times, including King Herod the Great
and the beautiful Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra. All of whom have
luxuriated in the Dead Sea’s rich, black, stimulating
mud and floated effortlessly on their backs while soaking
up the water's healthy minerals along with the gently diffused
rays of the Jordanian sun.
Amman
Touristic Beach
Situated
on the Dead Sea main road, two kilometers after the hotels
area . Amman Touristic Beach offers swimming pools, changing
rooms for low budget travelers and locals for minimal fees.
Amaman Touristic Beach is an ideal location for beach parties
and events.
RELIGION
& FAITH
For
Christians, this region inspires their faith. This is
the place where God first spoke to Man. It is the Holy
Land where God gave his Ten Commandments to Moses, where
Job suffered and was rewarded for his faith, Where Jesus
was baptized by John, and where Jacob wrestled with
the angel of God.
In
the Book of Genesis, God refers to the Jordan River
Valley around the Dead Sea, as the “Garden of
the Lord”, and it is believed to be the location
of the Garden of Eden,
The infamous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and many other
places were the subjects of dramatic and enduring Old
Testament stories, including that of Lot, whose wife
turned into a pillar of salt for disobeying God’s
will.
Twelve hundred years after the death of Moses, the Bible
claims that John the Baptist preached and baptized in
a place called Bethany Beyond the Jordan. This place
has now been identified as Tell a-Kharrar and Elijah’s
Hill.
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Bethany
Beyond the Jordan
The Bible claims that John preached and baptised in
a place called Bethany Beyond the Jordan, which Byzantine
and Medieval texts, as well as modern archaeology identify
as the site called Tell a-Kharrar and Elijah’s
Hill. Stunning archaeological discoveries since 1996
reveal pottery, coins and architectural remains from
a 5th century Byzantine monastery.
The River Jordan, where Jesus was baptized.
They
also reveal an earlier 3rd century building with fine
mosaics and what is known as a Christian ‘prayer
hall’. If this is correct, it might be one of
the earliest Christian prayer facilities anywhere in
the world. Also identified is the cave where John the
Baptist lived, according to numerous Byzantine pilgrims’
texts. The cave was turned into a church and a freshwater
channel running from the cave, purportedly used by John
for baptising, can still be visited today. |
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Mount
Nebo
The
place where Moses was buried and the most revered Holy
site in Jordan. When you stand at the top of this mountain,
you can see, as Moses did, the vast panorama that encompasses
the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, Jericho and Jerusalem.
According
to legend, this is also the place where Jeremiah hid
the Ark of the Covenant. It was a place of pilgrimage
for early Christians and Mount Nebo’s first church
was built in the fourth century to commemorate the site
of Moses’ death.
The Serpentine Cross outside the sanctuary
at Mt. Nebo.
Six tombs, from different periods, have been found hollowed
out of the rock beneath the mosaic-covered floor of
the church. In the present presbytery you can see remnants
of mosaics, the earliest of which is a panel with a
braided cross.
The Serpentine Cross, which stands just outside the
sanctuary, is symbolic of the brass serpent taken by
Moses into the desert and the cross upon which Jesus
was crucified. |
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Islamic
Sites
Many
of these sites and others in the region are also significant
Holy places for Muslims, who can find a plethora of religious
destinations that are important to the development of Islam,
the religion followed by the majority of Jordanians today.
Visit
the tombs of the Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH) venerable companions
and military leaders who fell in battle or became victims
of the Great Plague (Amwas Plague) in the 18th year after
the Hijra.
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Contact
History
