Jordan – Jerash & Ajloun

Jerash and Ajloun, Jordan

Jerash contains the ancient Roman ruins that so many people come to Jordan to see. They are huge, very complete (as far as ruins go!) and beautiful. Colonnaded streets, temples, theatres, amphitehtres ,a hippodrome, bathhouses and much more. We saw it in the pouring rain and many parts were semi-flooded, but it did not take the edge off these amazing structures. Take the JTT tour bus, as it is so easy, and they drop you off outside and pick you up ready for the next site. There’s no guide but that’s why they are so cheap and you can look up info online anyway, do not miss this site.  Ajloun castle is interesting, not big but perfectly restored inside and a guy outside sells freshly roasted chestnuts – yummy !.

My visit to Jerash and Ajloun was part of my trip to Jordan where I also visited Amman, (click here for info),  Petra, (click here for info) and  Madaba/Mt Nebo, (click here for info). On this same trip to The Middle East I also visited several places in Egypt and Lebanon. Find the places I went to under these countries on my destinations page

How to get to Jerash or Ajloun.

There are no trains in Jordan so that is the easy one to exclude.

Public buses are impossible to fathom out as there is scant info, even at the bus stations, about timetables and where buses leave. They are not frequent and only take you to the town and then you have to get from there to the sites, which are often well out of any town.

You would have to hire a car to get here. The roads are not that well signposted and the mountainous roads can be scary, especially if other road users are not as careful as you are.

Hiring a car from major rental companies is easy enough but I wanted to see the countryside not be stuck behind a wheel concentrating on the road for hours. If there is a group of you sharing the costs and driving, then that is not so bad, as car hire is not cheap.

Hiring a taxi for the day or several hours can be worth it if there are 4 of you but it still will not be the cheapest method.

Tour buses arranged by hotels are an option but you are tied to their itinerary, are not often cheap and you are stuck with your hotel crowd the whole day.

I used JTT Tours, that are effectively a national coach service. It has timetables to all the tourist sites in Jordan with departures from Amman . They often take in more than one site so you get to see multiple smallplaces in one day. So -modern, clean, safe coaches that tour Jordan in daytime chunks at a time  … easy!

Use JTT Tours coaches for transport

So, for my first trip on my Jordan adventure out of Amman I took a daytrip to Jerash (ruins of a massive Roman city) and Aljoun (an Arabic fortified city) with JTT tours (or Jett as its often called). click here for info on JTT . Ticket cost was 15 JD return and tickets are bookable online in advance,. I did just that  and was glad to have done so.

These trips by JTT are excellent value. A car would cost four times the price and there is no worry of getting lost, an accident or parking. You also get to see the countryside go by.

To get to the JTT offices to buy tickets and then back to the hotel can be quite a journey. Thus I recommend online advance booking. Really easy and safe on their web booking site. this way ou know you are guaranteed a seat, rather than turn up to buy on the day and find the coach is fully booked. On one trip the day tickets had sold out, so I was so glad for my advance purchase, which I recommend you also do.

What you get with JTT Tours

They have many routes out of Amman and other cities for travellers to get to places that are really inaccessible by public transport. They use modern air-con comfy coaches that whisk you out of Amman from various points in the city and drive you to the gates of the famous attraction you are to visit. You get off, visit the site and self-guide yourself around – they don’t provide a tour guide. Just take your pics and get back on the waiting coach an hour or two later and off you go to teh next site..

You just need to get a map or use your phone app map (I use maps.me, click here for link) or be well read up on the place and go and explore. They give you plenty of time to see the site and tell you when to be back at the coach for the leaving time and drive off to the next place.

These trips are great because public transport would not get you to these places and a return taxi/self-drive car would be much more expensive. You do need to know about the place to make the most of it.

Take water or food with you (you can leave a bag etc on the coach) or be prepared to find an eatery at the site/town. Be prepared for an early start and late finish to get a full days’ worth of travel and visiting out of it.

My trip to Jerash and Aljoun started from my nearest pick up point which was on the road outside the Intercontinental Hotel. Check what other places they pick up from on the info details on their website.  If you are doing lots of these day trips, I would advise you to plan to saty at an hotel that is within walking distance of one of the most popular pick up points. The Intercontinental hotel or their offices near the 7th Circle road interchange are the most popular pick-up points.. Click here for JTT Tours info.

My pick up was at 8am so it was an early start for me to get up, get ready, have breakfast and catch a taxi to the InterContinental pick up point outside on the road layby.

The pickup point has no markings but the hotel people and nearby offices were well aware of the bus and pointed out where it pulls over in the layby next to the hotel entrance.

Unfortunately, it was pelting with rain so standing outside with no shelter was not an option and a local taxi company allowed me to shelter in their waiting area with a view of the bus stop to prevent me getting wet.

I had a really engaging conversation with an elderly guy here who spoke excellent English and had worked for many years in the UK for ITV Television. He even told me what the local area was like before the huge InterContinental Hotel was built and how Amman has increased massively in size from his younger days.

Journey to Jerash and Aljoun, Jordan.

The coach arrived and I and a few others, who had now arrived here, bundled quickly onto it. It was a large minivan as there were only about 6 people going today, as I guess the rain put a lot off. The minivan was perfectly comfortable and clean, with seat belts and we set off through the city into the mountains. The driver was considerate and I never felt uneasy at his driving style and he spoke enough English for us all to get by.

The rain was with us most of the day and I got soaked from the waist downwards as I wasn’t wearing waterproofs and it was quite a downpour – never thought I’d need waterproofs in one of the driest countries in the world! My umbrella kept the top half of me dry which was the important thing anyhow.

History of Jerash.

So, a little history here, just so you get the picture and are able to appreciate some things you are about to see.

Jerash lies 48km north of Amman and has a population of around 50,000. However, bang in the middle of it is the site of one of the most preserved Roman cities outside Italy called Gerasa (now called Jerash in Arabic). See Jordan Tourism site here.

It actually dates from about 7000BC and was founded as a city by Alexander the Great in 351BC. The Romans conquered it in 63BC. The Roman Emperor Trajan built roads to it in 106AD and its fantastic temples, plaza, bathhouses etc were built in grand style and it prospered enormously.

It had a heavy Christian population from 400-600 AD with 13 churches and even a cathedral.

It was conquered by the Persians in 614AD, became a centre of manufacturing with sizable, Muslim, Christian and Jewish populations co-existing peacefully. It was then devastated by an earthquake in 749AD.

It carried on however but was attacked by the Crusaders in 1121 and burned – you can still see the burned walls of the Temple of Artemis presently on site. From then on it was comparatively left alone!

Today, Jerash is considered one of the largest and most well-preserved sites of Roman architecture in the world outside Italy. It is sometimes referred to as the “Pompeii of the Middle East” because of its size, extent of excavation and level of preservation. It reminded me a lot of the Roman ruins in Carthage Tunisia that I visited, (click here for link).

What to see in Jerash

After about an hour of driving through a fairly barren landscape, we arrived at the entrance to Jerash.

We were told we had about 2 hours here to see everything which was enough to get photos, tour and get a drink on the way back at their café.

Unfortunately, the incessant rain did take the edge off it as some areas were fairly inaccessible due to flooding. In others, I had to leap across mini streams of ground rainwater but I got to see nearly everything I wanted.

I got chatting with a Chinese nationality lady on the bus, who was living/working in San Francisco. She had not read up on the site or had much knowledge of Roman history and was expecting a guide, so I offered to be a guide for her.

I am no expert on Roman ruins but I have a good grounding in Roman architecture and history and so was able to point out what the buildings were used for and guide her round the quite large site. It was quite fun to spend a while with someone, as my trip before in Egypt had been a bit lonesome. Luckily we got along quite well.

Like me, she had not brought heavy rain clothing and was also getting wet but had a huge umbrella. The camaraderie helped us persevere and we ended up having a good visit.

So, first in and the entrance is through a covered market selling trinkets and tourist stuff and a small café and toilets. My Jordan Pass got me free entry, more on this pass here (click here for info). 

Read more in My Amman Jordan post here about how the Jordan Pass saved me loads on my visits to sites around Jordan and gives you a free Jordanian entry Visa too.

Hadrian’s Arch, Jerash, Jordan.

The first building you see is a magnificent triumphal arch. It is an 11-metre high triple-arched gateway, erected to honour the visit of Roman Emperor Hadrian to the city in 129AD.

It still stands pretty much intact. The rain was so heavy at this point that we waited a few minutes for it to slow but the rainwater was gushing over and down the steps of the arch and forming a large lake of water behind it. This was not looking good, but it eventually eased and we continued through the arch in to the ancient city itself.

Hippodrome, Jerash, Jordan.

The walk from the archway is lined by the foundations of many buildings alongside the huge Hippodrome. Entry to the hippodrome (a large elongated circle used for chariot races), was not possible here due to the flooding. So we continued to the end and walked up the ramparts at the end to get a view across the racetrack.

The pics show where the spectators would have sat and shows the various shops and buildings underneath their elevated position

South Gate, Jerash, Jordan.

From here is a long walkway, with a view of the south gate entrance ahead. The beige stone foundations of many old building lie on either side but gives an impression of how important the thoroughfare was to the city.

You pass the small museum and another café (get water if it is hot as there is lots more walking to do) and then on through the arched gateway.

Sanctuary of Zeus, Jerash, Jordan.

Walk further and on your left is the Sanctuary of Zeus, with a few columns and steps. This is the way through to a large inner area that was clearly under a roof at some time but now just gives sweeping views to the next stop ahead.

The Temple of Zeus, Jerash, Jordan.

The Temple of Zeus still has much of its outer walls and columns standing and it actually quite high. You will need to climb the uneven steps up to the entry platform and to see what remains of the inside.

Here the columns are still standing, giving great views out to the ruins of the ancient city from its hillside location. The views of the main oval plaza nearby are outstanding and really show off its shape and symmetry.

Make your way back down and move on to the building next door.

The South theatre, Jerash, Jordan.

This huge semi-circular stepped theatre is remarkably well preserved, with the auditorium seating still complete, with side rooms and elaborate doorways. You can stand on the stage and look up the huge seating area. Alternatively, climb the dozens of steps in the seating area to the top – yep, I did just that –  and get great photos looking down the theatre steps to the stage.

The theatre is so acoustically well designed that it is said that anyone in the centre of the lower stage can be heard easily metres way up in the gallery. I waited and a couple walked into the centre area and stood talking. Even though I was up effectively 25 seat rows in the sky I could hear their conversation! The acoustics still work to this day!

Amazing coincidence.

When I got down, I stood explaining this phenomenon to my new companion and a Jordanian guy working there came over and asked where we were from. I said the UK and waited for the usual joke about something English or an English banal catch phrase, but instead he asked me where in the UK i was from.

Just to mess around with him, I said I lived in Swindon, which I do, (I usually say London to avoid explaining, as no-one has heard of Swindon …. Sorry but it’s easier). Even people in the UK often don’t know where Swindon is, so I was surprised when he said he had been there for a week. I didn’t believe him and jokingly asked where.

He said at the airport! Swindon doesn’t have an airport, so I laughed and said which one and he replied the big military one. Oh, a military airport, that’s interesting I said, (knowing there was one nearby) but why I asked? He said he used to be in the Jordanian airforce and was displaying at a big airplane military show there.

Amazed, I asked which military airport, (I knew there was a famous military airshow every year down the road from Swindon, at a big military airfield), and he said “Fairford”…… Correct! That is the one and we chatted further. Amazing that after travelling all this way I met someone in Jordan who had been to my little town. Surprise of the trip!

Oval Plaza, Jerash, Jordan.

From here walk back out and downhill towards the central area of columns ahead. Now we reached the Oval Plaza  – a big paved area surrounded by the most magnificent rows of Roman, topped, tall columns I have seen. They line the perimeter of the plaza and encircle it beautifully.

This is probably the most famous sight in the archaeological site and one you will see on many postcards of the city and even of Jordan.

Cardo maximus, Jerash, Jordan.

From here flows the main street of the city, the Cardo Maximus, a north-south axis of the crossroads further ahead which also has a west -east road. Cardo comes from the Greek for heart “Kardia” and means the heart of the city. This is an original flagstoned wide road with arches like the plaza and buildings along the side that would have contained shops, street vendors, storerooms and commercial edifices.

Their walls and foundations are still here and it is not difficult to imagine them in situ in a bustling market atmosphere.

It leads past more impressive ruins and on to a crossroads. Here, four bases stand at the centre of the crossroads, surrounded by more relics of shops and the next-door impressive bath houses.

Nymphaeum, Jerash, Jordan.

The walk along the Cardo maximus continues and you then pass, on your left, the Nymphaeum.

This building was fronted by an ornamental fountain from 191 AD and was dedicated to the Nymphs – hence its name. These fountains are common in Roman cities and this one was originally embellished with marble facings on the lower level and painted plaster on the upper level, topped with a half-domed roof.

Water cascaded through seven carved lion’s heads into small basins on the sidewalk and overflowed from there through drains and into the underground sewage system. What is left today still gives that impression, although the embellishments have long gone. It was basically a part of the city’s water supply.

Temple of Artemis, Jerash, Jordan.

Further along, again to the left, stands impressive steps leading upwards, flanked by still standing walls, with windows and columns. It leads to a flattened plateau and ahead is the famous Temple of Artemis, Goddess of the hunters and patron of the city of Jerash.

The standing columns here are impressive, as there are many for such an old temple. Their tops are intricately carved and you can still see the layout of the inside of the temple and its near intact walls. The view from here is also impressive as it shows the modern town in the distance and gives views over the whole site.

This brings to a close my visit to Jerash. Yes, there was a north theatre and the basilica area to explore but the rain was getting heavy now and I was soaked through. Time to head back to the coach and grab a coffee to dry out, as I had seen all I could under the present weather conditions.

I can know say I have seen one of the best Roman archaeological sites in the world, so am more than happy to return home, contented in this.

We re-embarked the coach and headed off to our next stop – the Arabic castle of Ajloun. The rain was still heavy and as we climbed through the mountains the cloud cover was getting closer. The views were blocked by huge mists and when we eventually arrived, about 40 mins later, we were in a misty landscape seemingly floating above the cloud level..

Ajloun Castle, Jordan.

The castle itself has a long history. It was built on the site of an older Christian Monastery in 1184 by a general of the Muslim leader Saladin, in an Arabic style. Its main focus was as a defensive castle against attacks by the Christian Crusaders from nearby Christian castles.

It is actually named after a Christian Monk who lived in this area earlier.

The original castle had four corner towers connected by curtain walls and a double gate with a moat. It was enlarged with a tower to its present size 30 years after the original was finished.

It was partially destroyed by the invading Mongols but restored when they were kicked out a year later. It was largely maintained thereafter but two destructive earthquakes in 1837 and again in 1927 damaged much of it. It has now been fully restored to its present glory.

Link to Jordan Tourism on Ajloun Castle here.

What to see in Ajloun castle.

We entered the Castle via the long, stepped walkway looking down into mists that should have showed beautiful vistas of the land below us. Such a pity! The castle was easy to walk around and at a several points had plaques explaining features of the rooms.

The most interesting thing was the way they had installed lights to illuminate the rooms to such fantastic effect. It would have been gloomy otherwise to tour these rooms.

There was a small museum about the history of the area and its various invaders and conquerors. It also held various mosaics and pottery/craftwork found in the castle and surrounding area.

The rooms are sparse of any furniture and the whole castle was eerily quite on my visit – probably due to being off season and the rain and cold, so we had the run of the place. It was interesting to work out the mosque’s footprint and the Christian carvings in other parts.

We rushed to the top to get a view from the top battlements but all there was were white cloudy mists, rain and absolutely no sign of anything more than a few metres away, such was the denseness of the mist.

The castle takes only 20 mins to walk around as it’s not big but the conservation work is phenomenal and actually quite beautiful.

We left the castle to board the coach ready for the long drive back to Amman and at last to fully dry off.

However, just at the exit was a guy with an open brazieir raosting chestnuts for sale. the smell was gogeous and we just had to stop to buy ourselves a small bag of them. Quite cheap, scrummy and a little treat for the journey back.

Feb 2019.