Best things to do in Jerash
Find out more about those top places in Jerash
Just north of the Jordanian capital, Jerash is a hidden gem where the history of the Roman Empire comes to life. Packed with monumental gates, ceremonial temples, colonnaded avenues and stepped theaters, Jerash is one of the world’s best-preserved Roman cities and receives far fewer visitors than Rome or Ephesus. The ruins cover a vast area and can easily fill a few days worth of exploring. However, the city’s real highlights are the enchanting Oval Plaza, complete with a temple and theater, the Sacred Way, which is lined by monumental columns, and the Temple of Artemis. Today, one of the city’s most thrilling attractions are the mock Roman chariot races held daily in the ancient hippodrome.
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Temple of Artemis
Because Jordan was ruled in the ancient times by the Romans, there are still many structures around today that were built in the time of Roman rule. Of all these buildings, the Roman Temple of the goddess Artemis is one of the most outstanding. A tour of this location presents you with an opportunity to check out some Roman artifacts.
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Oval Plaza
This site makes for one of the most remarkable sights in the country. The Oval Plaza is actually a city square that is oval and it was built in the 2nd century AD with two altars in the middle before a fountain was added in the 7th century AD. This structure was later reinforced so that it would be able to hold the Jerash Festival Flame structure that now sits on it.
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Temple of Zeus
This Temple was raised in the 162nd century AD honoring the Greek god, Zeus. The unique thing about this temple is the tall columns of pillars that still remain standing till today. Although the temple mostly lies in ruins, there's still enough of the temple left to make it a nice and safe spot for tourists.
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Arch of Hadrian
This arch was meant to be a southern entrance to the ancient city of Jerash but it was never completed. The arch was erected in 129th century AD to celebrate the visit of one of the most important personalities at the time, Emperor Hadrian. Today, the arch just mostly serves as a tourist attraction site, and it attracts quite a number of people yearly.
