In association with: Jordan Tourism Board
A newly designated Unesco World Heritage Site joins Jordan’s array of ancient wonders
Jordan’s cities, coastline and desert are prime adventure territory, but the country also holds portals to the past in its seven Unesco World Heritage Sites. Visitors can stroll among sandstone tombs, once-lost cities and religious landmarks, including the newly listed site of Umm el-Jimal, a preserved fifth-century Roman settlement.
The Jordan Pass includes entry to each site, as well as covering the tourist visa fee and access to more than 40 fascinating attractions.
1. Petra
The jewel in Jordan’s crown is the Nabataean city of Petra, where red sandstone passageways and gorges are home to churches and temples carved into the rock.
Visitors can walk through the Siq to the much-photographed Treasury, hike up to Ad-Deir Monastery and explore archaeological wonders left behind by Roman, Byzantine and Nabataean civilisations.
2. Wadi Rum
The otherworldly landscape of Wadi Rum is home to dramatic rock formations and sloping sand dunes. This protected area is perfect for outdoor adventures such as 4×4 drives and camel rides, while traditional desert camps offer the chance to experience authentic Bedouin culture.
3. As-Salt
Just northwest of capital Amman, the city of As-Salt was once a prosperous trading hub and a creative centre for craftsmen and merchants in the final decades of the Ottoman period. Visitors can get lost in the narrow streets and admire the traditional houses built from yellow limestone.
4. Quseir Amra
Dating from the early eighth century, this preserved castle was once home to a pleasure palace and fortress for the Umayyad caliphate. The complex’s original hammam and reception hall feature richly coloured murals of animals, people and religious scenes, reflecting the Islamic architecture and art of the time.
5. Umm ar-Rasas
Discover the remains of a fifth‑century Roman military camp and town, featuring 16 churches and detailed mosaic floors. The artwork depicts towns in the former Byzantine empire, while the surrounding terraces and water channels hint at ancient cultivation systems.
6. Bethany beyond the Jordan
On the eastern bank of the River Jordan are the sites of Tell el- Kharrar and the churches of St John the Baptist, a place of Christian pilgrimage. As the region where Jesus is believed to have been baptised, it has attracted generations of priests, monks and visitors, who built the churches, monastery, caves and baptism pools that stand today.
7. Umm el-Jimal
This site in northern Jordan is almost 2,000 years old and is still home to remnants from the Nabataean, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods, with more than 150 preserved structures.
Find out more at visitjordan.com and jordanpass.jo
PICTURES: Visit Jordan/Tareq I Hadi, Turk Lens