Middle East - Anthony Ham [290]
Hashemite Square, between the Roman Theatre and Raghadan station, is an ideal place to stroll, sip tea, smoke the nargileh (water pipe) and simply watch the world go by.
Philadelphia’s chief fountain or nymphaeum (Map ; admission free; daylight Sat-Thu) dates from AD 191 and stands with its back to Quraysh St, west of the theatre and not far from King Hussein Mosque. Excavations started in earnest in 1993, and restoration will continue for many years. Except for a few columns, an elegant archway and a few alcoves, there is still little to see.
The Citadel (Map ; 4638795; admission JD2; 8am-4pm Sat-Thu Oct-Mar, to 7pm Sat-Thu Apr-Sep, 10am-4pm Fri year-round) sits on Jebel al-Qala’a – at 850m, Amman’s highest hill. The complex includes some excavated ruins of an Umayyad palace, dating from about AD 720, of which the domed audience hall is the most impressive. There is an Umayyad cistern in the Citadel; a Byzantine basilica from the 6th or 7th century AD; and the pillars of the Temple of Hercules, which was constructed during the reign of Marcus Aurelius (AD 161 to AD 80).
Included in the Citadel’s admission fee is the National Archaeological Museum, one of the best museums in Jordan. Exhibits include three 8500-year-old statues from Ain Ghazal, thought to be the world’s oldest examples of sculpture.
Darat al-Funun (House of Arts; Map ; 4643251; www.daratalfunun.org; Nimer bin Adwan St; admission free; 10am-7pm Sat-Wed, to 8pm Thu) is a tranquil complex dedicated to contemporary art. It features a small art gallery, an art library, artists’ workshops and a program of exhibitions, lectures, films and public discussion forums.
The attraction at the King Hussein Mosque (Map; Hashemi St, Downtown) is the surrounding backstreet souqs rather than the building. This is definitely the best place in Amman to explore on foot. The first mosque was built on this site in AD 640 by Omar, the second caliph of Islam. The current mosque was built by King Abdullah I in 1924.
King Abdullah Mosque (Map ; 5672155; Suleiman al-Nabulsi St, Jebel Wibdeh; admission JD2; 8-11am & 12.30-2pm Sat-Thu, 8-10am Fri) can house up to 7000 worshippers, with room for 3000 more in its courtyard. It welcomes non-Muslim visitors (women must cover their hair). Admission includes entry to a small Islamic museum.
The small but excellent Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts (Map ; 4630128; www.nationalgallery.org; Hosni Fareez St, Jebel Weibdeh; admission JD1; 9am-5pm Sun-Thu) exhibits contemporary Jordanian works including painting, sculpture and pottery.
Car enthusiasts might like the Royal Automobile Museum (Map ; 5411392; www.royalautomuseum.jo; King Hussein Park; admission JD3; 10am-7pm Wed-Mon), which has a display of 70 classic cars and motorbikes from King Hussein’s personal collection. It’s in the northwestern suburbs, north of 8th Circle.
Al-Pasha Hammam (Map ; /fax 4633002; www.pashaturkishbath.com; Al-Mahmoud Taha St, Jebel Amman; 9am-2am, last booking midnight) is the perfect antidote to Amman’s hills and bustle. The full service (JD22.500) includes a steam bath, sauna, Jacuzzi, body scrub, 40-minute massage and two soft drinks, all in a superb building architecturally faithful to Turkish hamam tradition. Bring a swimming costume. Women are welcome during the day but the evenings are men only.
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WORLD’S TALLEST FLAGPOLE
From most places in the city, you can spot the huge Jordanian flag of the Raghadan palace compound, which at 127m high is said to be the world’s largest free-standing flagpole. (A smaller but similarly impressive flag flies in Aqaba.) The award for the tallest flagpole in the world actually goes to those crazy North Koreans on the border with South Korea but that one is supported by cables, which, as everyone knows, is cheating.
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AMMAN FOR CHILDREN
Amman Waves (Map ; 64121704; www.ammanwaves.com; admission adult/child JD14/8; Airport Rd; 10am-7pm daily) Western-style water park, about 15km south of town on the highway to the airport.
Haya Cultural Centre (Map ; 5665195; Ilya Abu