Jerash was on the last day of our trip. We had reached Amman the previous evening from Bethany Beyond the Jordan. Our next morning was dedicated to Amman and Jerash . We were slightly worried about covering both places but seeing Jerash in half a day was totally doable—and definitely worth it!
Drive to Jerash
The drive itself was amazing. After enjoying the Amman Citadel in the early morning hues we headed towards Jerash. It’s about a 45-minute drive north from Amman. Leaving the city behind, the road quickly winded away from the urban sprawl of Amman . We did face traffic but not that disruptive.
The road started to widen with undulating hills on both sides carrying the weight of Amman’s beige buildings . The hum of city life gradually faded and gave way to rolling olive groves, sun-scorched hills, and open skies that stretched endlessly above. The route, not at all about 50 kilometers and roughly an hour depending on traffic, meandered through small towns and quiet farmland. Along the way, we passed roadside fruit stalls stacked high with seasonal produce—bright oranges, ripe figs, carrots, pomegranates.
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Madaba – A love story of Mosaics
After Mount Nebo our next destination was Madaba. Madaba, known as the ‘City of Mosaics’…
Here the hills were totally different from what we had seen in Jordan till now. As we climbed slightly into the highlands, the air grew cooler and fresher. Golden hills were covered with olive and cypress trees of various shades of green , more Mediterranean than desert in vibe. If you’re lucky you might even witness snow in winter at Jerash and Ajloun. The higher we went we started going through endless nurseries selling a rich variety of flowering plants and trees.
Before reaching Jerash we stopped for a coffee break at a cafeteria with an awesome view of the surrounding hills. The scent of wild thyme , fresh coffee and the smoke of a wood fire drifted from somewhere.
Entering Jerash
Then, suddenly, the hills parted—and Jerash appeared. From the road, you catch a glimpse of the massive Hadrian’s Arch, standing sentinel at the entrance to the ancient city. You can almost feel the echoes of Roman chariots and the footsteps of history beneath your wheels as you pull into the car park.
Jerash is one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the world. The ancient city of Jerash is a living testament to over 6,500 years of continuous human history. Though its roots stretch deep into prehistory, Jerash truly flourished during the Roman era, when it was known as Gerasa—one of the ten grand cities of the Decapolis League.
The Decapolis League was a group of ten ancient cities on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire in the Levant region which was limited to parts of Jordan, Syria and Israel. The term ‘Decapolis’ comes from the Greek deca (ten) and polis (city), meaning ‘ten cities’. The ten cities were Gerasa (modern-day Jerash, Jordan) , Scythopolis (modern-day Beit She’an, Israel – the only one west of the Jordan River) ,Hippos (modern-day Sussita, Israel) ,Gadara (modern-day Umm Qais, Jordan) , Pella (modern-day Tabaqat Fahl, Jordan) ,Philadelphia (modern-day Amman, Jordan) ,Raphana (exact location uncertain, possibly near present-day Ar-Rafid, Jordan) , Dion (possibly near modern Tell el-Ashari, Syria) ,Canatha (modern day Qanawat, Syria) , and Damascus (now capital of Syria).
Conquered by General Pompey in 63 BC, Jerash soon became a shining example of Roman provincial architecture and urban planning. For centuries, its magnificent temples, theaters, and colonnaded streets lay buried beneath layers of sand, hidden from the world. But over the last 70 years, dedicated excavation and restoration efforts have brought Jerash back to life, making it one of the best-preserved Roman cities outside Italy—a place where you can walk in the footsteps of emperors and citizens from millennia past.
Things to see in Jerash
To enter the ruins you have to first pass through a Souq selling all sorts of local knickknacks- carpets ,curios, clothes ,paintings -made by local artisans -and various food stalls. Before we could lose ourselves in the echoes of ancient footsteps, we had to navigate a modern-day gauntlet: a row of vendors calling out from stalls lining the entrance. “Good price for you, my friend!” one insisted, waving a keffiyeh in my direction. Another offered Roman coins—“authentic, just for today!” While their enthusiasm is part of the lively energy that surrounds Jordan’s most visited sites, the constant sales pitches felt a bit overwhelming. A little vendor boy , hardly 10-11 years old, even tried to teach me how to take amazing photographs.
After evading the onslaught of impressively persistent haggling with cheerful refusals we reached Hadrian’s Arch – the first attraction of Jerash.
Here is a list of the must see sites at Jerash :
Hadrian’s Arch– . A ceremonial gateway built in 129 AD to commemorate Emperor Hadrian’s visit. It was intended to be the new southern entrance to the city and is impressively tall—nearly 13 meters high—with three grand arches. Great photo spot. It was pretty empty when we had reached there so we had a great time taking photos.
South Gate – The grand gate that leads you into the ancient city. It’s a long walk from here to the Forum.
Hippodrome – Right by the South Gate ,it’s an ancient stadium that once held up to 15,000 spectators. Chariot races, gladiator games, and public entertainment – a one stop spot for everyone. It’s one of the smallest surviving Roman hippodromes but very well preserved.
Oval Plaza (Forum) – A stunning, open, spacious , elliptical plaza paved with limestone and surrounded by 56 Ionic columns. Most Roman forums are rectangular—this one’s oval shape is rare and visually striking. Ceremonial gatherings, markets, and processions took place here.
Cardo Maximus – The city’s main Roman road with a north to south colonnaded street. You can still see the grooves from chariot wheels in the paving stones and the underground drainage system. Ruins of ancient shops, temples, and public buildings line the street.
South Theater – Large and well-preserved, the larger of Jerash’s two Roman theaters, seating about 3,000 people. Excellent acoustics – stand at the center and your voice echoes clearly. Your voice, even a whisper, carries surprisingly well—a reminder that this place was designed for voices to be heard. Jordanian guards sometimes play traditional bagpipes here for tourists.
Zeus Temple -Located on a hill above the South Theater, it’s a grand temple dedicated to Zeus, built around 162 AD with massive columns , stairways and remnants of altars. You can take a short hike up for a sweeping view of the entire city.
North Theater -Smaller but older than the South Theater. It was used for council meetings before it became a performance space. More intimate and peaceful to explore, especially if the South Theater is busy. This was my favourite site. Sitting on the edge of the stairs looking down and in front felt like one of those moments where time stretches thin.
North Gate and Cathedral Complex -a site with early Christian church ruins. You’ll find ruins of an early Byzantine church, likely built in the 4th–5th centuries. Christian symbols are carved over older pagan elements—showing the transition from Roman to Christian Jerash. Nearby are the Church of St. Theodore, the Church of St. Cosmos and Damian, and ancient baptismal fonts.
Nymphaeum – A monumental public fountain dedicated to water nymphs. Decorated with lion-head spouts, columns, and niches that once held statues.
Temple of Artemis – Built for the city’s patron goddess, Artemis, and perched on a hilltop. The columns here are massive—some still standing.
Propylaeum and Stairway to the Temple of Artemis -A grand ceremonial staircase leading up to the temple, offering views over the site. There are many more pillars sadly toppled like fallen giants. Climbing up the temple stairs that open to the sky you’d likely feel small, yet strangely significant.
Among all these ruins the best part of my day , in fact ,the best part of the whole trip came. A group of sweet 16 year old Palestinian girls were hovering around me for a long time. I actually didn’t realize that until one of them very shyly came up to me and asked in very broken English if they could take a photo with me. During all the selfie-taking, the shyest but most insistent one wouldn’t let me out of her sight until she mustered the courage to tell me that I was very beautiful. Didn’t feel bad at all being adulated at this age , that too by a bunch of teenagers !! It really did make my day !!
After exploring all these sites we returned to where we had started from -the South Gate. When we had gone in it was bright and sunny but by the time we had returned to the South Gate, dark clouds started looming around the corner. It was also time for us to bid adieu to Jordan since our flight was at night. Walking down the quiet lanes of Jerash framed by crumbling walls and through arches that had witnessed empires rise and fall, was like stepping through the pages of a living history book – not just looking at it but being inside it.
