MADABA

Madaba became known as the “City of Mosaics” in Jordan, being the capital of the Madaba Government located in central Jordan, 30 kilometers southwest of the capital of Amman, known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics. During its domination of the Roman and Byzantine empires, the city was part of the Province of Arabia established by the Roman emperor Trajan. Madaba has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and rainy winters, the average annual temperature being 16.4 ° C.

Madaba is known for its delightfully vibrant and lush produce. Visitors are urged to sample olive oil, which is freshly pressed in the area. The food scene is one of the liveliest in the city. A visit to Al Mandi for a plate of barbecued chicken topped with nuts and dried fruit is not to be missed. Winter meals are best spent in Haret Jdoudna, where popular Mediterranean dishes can be enjoyed opposite a roaring fireplace. Whichever restaurant you choose, do ask for Sajieh, a lamb or chicken-based dish that is cooked on an open flame and served with thin bread.

Madaba’s downtown market area is a souvenir shopper’s dream. From handmade trinkets to elegantly designed home accessories, the shopping experience is truly remarkable. The city is best known for its handmade carpets and tapestries, which are often produced on-site for potential customers to see. Watching carpet makers working their fingers through the weaving machine has a hypnotizing effect and it is not uncommon for onlookers to spend a couple of hours admiring the process while sipping mint tea.
 
One of the best attractions in Madaba is Madaba map which preserved in the floor of the Greek Orthodox Basilica of Saint George. The Map of Madaba mosaic was discovered in 1896 and the findings were published a year later. Madaba became known as the “City of Mosaics” in Jordan. A new discovery in 2010, a 3,000- year-old Iron Age temple containing several figurines of ancient deities and circular clay vessels used in Moabite religious rituals was discovered at Khirbat ‘Ataroz near Mabada.
 
Top sights in Madaba:

1- St George’s Church & Mosaic Map: On this site, you will see the masterpiece of Madaba (a Byzantine mosaic map of the Holy Land that goes back to the 6th century, showing Jerusalem and other cities)

2- Madaba Archaeological Park I & Virgin Mary Church: This archaeological park includes the fantastic mosaics of the church of the virgin which was built in the 6th-century, Also the remains of several Byzantine churches.