Amman Jordan Guide

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History

During its long history, Amman has been inhabited by several civilizations. The first civilization on record is during the Neolithic period, around 8500 BC, when archaeological discoveries in 'Ain Ghazal, located in eastern Amman, showed evidence of not only a settled life but also the growth of artistic work, which suggests that a well-developed civilization inhabited the city at that time. In the 13th century BC Amman was called Rabbath Ammon or Rabat Amon by the Ammonites Rabbat ʿAmmon, Tiberian Hebrew Rabbaṯ ʿAmmôn). It was later conquered by the Assyrians, followed by the Persians, and then the Greeks. Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the Hellenic ruler of Egypt, renamed it Philadelphia. The city became part of the Nabataean kingdom until 106 AD when Philadelphia came under Roman control and joined the Decapolis.
In 326 AD, Christianity became the religion of the empire and Philadelphia became the seat of a bishopric during the beginning of the Byzantine era. One of the churches of this period can be seen on the city's Citadel.


Temple of Hercules, Roman Coernthic Columns at Citadel Hill
Philadelphia was renamed Amman during the Ghassanian era, and flourished under the Caliphates (with nearby capital) of the Umayyads (in Damascus) and the Abbasids (in Baghdad). It was then destroyed by several earthquakes and natural disasters and remained a small village and a pile of ruins until the Circassians settlement in 1887. The tide changed when the Ottoman Sultan decided to build the Hejaz railway, linking Damascus and Medina, facilitating both the annual hajj pilgrimage and permanent trade, putting Amman, a major station, back on the commercial map.
In 1921, Abdullah I chose Amman as seat of government for his newly-created state, the Emirate of Transjordan, and later as the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. As there was no palatial building, he started his reign from the station, with his office in a train car. Amman remained a small city until 1948, when the population expanded considerably due to an influx of Palestinian refugees from what is now Israel. Amman has experienced exceptionally rapid development since 1952 under the leadership of two Hashemite Kings, Hussein of Jordan and Abdullah II of Jordan.
In 1970, Amman was the site of major clashes between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Jordanian army. Everything around the Royal Palace sustained heavy damage from shelling. Most of Amman suffered great damage from PLO rockets and the Jordanian army's shells.
The city's population continues to expand at a dizzying pace (fueled by refugees escaping the wartime events in the Occupied Territories and Iraq). The city received refugees from these countries on a number of occasions. The first wave of Palestinian refugees arrived from Israel in 1948. A second wave after the Six-Day War in 1967. A third wave of Palestinian and Jordanian and Southeast Asians, working as domestic workers, refugees arrived in Amman from Kuwait after the Gulf War of 1991. The first wave of Iraqi refugees settled in the city after the first Gulf War, with a second wave also arriving after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. During the last 10 years the number of new buildings within the city has increased dramatically with new districts of the city being founded at a very rapid pace (particularly so in West Amman), straining the very scarce water supplies of Jordan as a whole, and exposing Amman to the hazards of rapid expansion in the absence of careful municipal planning.
On November 9, 2005, coordinated explosions rocked three hotels in Amman, resulting in the death of 60 people and the injury of 115 others. Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the act, which was carried out despite the fact that the birthplace of since-killed Al Qaeda terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is the town of Zarqa, less than 30 km (19 mi) from Amman. The sheer brutality of the attacks, which targeted, amongst other things, a wedding party being held at one of the hotels, caused widespread revulsion across the widest range of Jordanians. Large protests and vigils followed in the wake of the attacks.


Geography

Amman is located in a hilly area of north-western Jordan, and is at an elevation of 1029 meters above sea level (highest point) to 773 meters above sea level (lowest point). The city was originally built on seven hills, but it now spans an area of over nineteen hills (each known as a jabal or "mountain"). Many of Amman's districts derive their names from the name of the mountain on which they are built.
Because of the cooling effects of its location on a plateau, Amman enjoys a Mediterranean climate and four seasons of pleasent weather as compared to other places in the region. Summer temperatures range from 28 °C (82 °F) - 32 °C (90 °F), but with very low humidity and frequent breezes. Spring and fall temperatures are pleasant and cool. The winter sees nighttime temperatures frequently below0 °C (32 °F), with snowfall a common occurence. The yearly average number of days with rain is 75 and with snow it is 3-7. The lowest temperature ever recorded in amman was -20°C in the blizzard of 1992, that took the life of twenty six people.


Culture

Amman is one of the most liberal cities in the Middle East. Amman is also one of the more westernized cities in the region ahead of places like Cairo or Damascus. Its culture and arts scene is thriving. Its freedom of worship is a long standing tradition of Jordan. The Jordanian media is also one of the most unrestricted in the region. Jordan has no laws forcing women or men to dress in a particular way. Women are not required to wear the veil. However, Appropriate attire is expected around places of worship of both the Islamic and Christian faiths. Due to its stability and openness, Jordan especially Amman is home to many different artists, writers, and musicians many of which are expatriates from troubled areas like Iraq or the Palestinian territories. Amman is home to many diverse religious sects making up the two primary religions of Jordan, Islam and Christianity. Numerous mosques and churches dot the capital. The most famous mosque of Amman is the King Abduallah I Mosque which can house almost 3,000 people. Most of the people in Jordan are Muslims, 93% and 7% Christians.
Numerous cultural centers can be found throughout Amman, most notably the Al Hussein Cultural Center which contains over 30,000 books and plans to double that number, 30 computer sets, an electronic library and specialized libraries. Numerous IT and library centers can be found throughout the city.
The Al al-Bayt Institute Building located in the Al Hussein Public Parks points to the importance that the Hashemites give to the role of the Institute in Islamic life. Moreover, it is in line with the vision expressed by the Late King Hussein as far as the enrichment of man’s life with all sorts of knowledge. Care was taken to emphasize the Islamic character of the project: internally, the theme is unity of elements, leading to an inner courtyard; the use of cellars, arches in roofing, and proportionality, breakage of continuity of entrances as an element of creating anticipation, in addition to the use of wood and metal in overlapping fashion whereby, in the end, a distinctly Islamic style is reflected. Externally, a viewer looking at the external façade will note the extensive use of arches and Islamic oriels which give the building a reflection from the inside out, as well as a particularity that differs from the urban texture, not only as a religious or cultural function but as a school of all Islamic architectural elements.
The Cultural Village in the Al Hussein Public parks aims at introducing our heritage and Jordanian culture to visitor through a set of handicrafts created by a group of professional artisans and innovative institutions. The project consists of a main square surrounded by shops and galleries. On the eastern side of the village there is a coffee shop and two restaurants with a view overlooking the city.
There are numerous museums in Amman including the Royal Automobile Museum, the Jordan Archaeological Museum, Jordan Museum of Popular Tradition, the Jordan Folklore Museum, Souk jara, and the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts.
The Automobile Museum houses and exhibits the Late King’s collection of automobiles. The design of the building comes across as a mass merging into the surrounding environment and blends with it through the artificial planted hills which rise beyond the building’s walls.
The Jordan Archaeological Museum is located at the Citadel and houses it houses archaeological treasures from across the country like pottery, jewellery, ancient tools, etc. It also houses The Dead Sea bronze scrolls and plaster statues from Ain Ghazal, one of the world's oldest settlements.
The Jordan Museum of Popular Tradition and the Jordan Folklore Museum exhibit Jordanian handicrafts, clothing, embroidery, musical instruments,a goat hair Bedouin tent furnished with traditional objects, as well as a collection of mosaics from Madaba and other Byzantine churches across the country
The Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts exhibits Jordanian art as well as art from across the region and the world. The museum in Jabal Lubweideh houses art even from Europe and America as well.