Madaba

Description

Madaba  Biblical Hebrew: מֵידְבָא Medvah; Ancient Greek: Μήδαβα) is the capital city of Madaba Governorate in central Jordan, with a population of about 60,000. It is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of the Holy Land. Madaba is located 30 kilometres (19 miles) south-west of the capital Amman.

The fertility of Madaba's plains have made it a strategic location for 3500 years. Fought over by many people during different times, it later became a Nabataean town. During the Byzantine era, the city became a bishopric and the mosaics, for which it became famous, were laid. Today, the city is still famous for mosaics, both historical and for its mosaic school, the only one of its kind in the Middle East.

You can also visit many places such as:

Church of St. George

Imagine the excitement, when builders came across this old church in 1884. Adorning the floor was an amazing mosaic representing the oldest map of Palestine in existence along with all the major historical sites from Egypt to Palestine. Crafted in 560AD, this original masterpiece once contained more than two million brightly colored pieces.

Church of the Apostles

This small church contains one of Madaba’s most beautiful mosaics dedicated to the Twelve Apostles. The mosaic is known as "Personification of the Sea" and it vividly depicts a woman emerging from the sea, surrounded by mythical aquatic creatures and a hodgepodge of rams, bulls, parrots and exotic vegetation.

Madaba Museum

For a true taste of culture, a visit to this museum should not be missed. Not only does it display a collection of mosaic collages, but the museum is actually setup inside an ancient chapel which is adorn with its own mosaic masterpieces. The museum also displays traditional embroidered Jordanian dresses, jewelry and pottery dating back to various ages.