Well-preserved Jerash, Jordan

While Jerash may not have been the largest Roman city in the Middle East, it might just be the best preserved. The site is a forest of columns. It has everything: gates/arches, temples, colonnaded streets, fountains, baths, a market, an oval plaza/forum (unique), two theaters, a hippodrome.... I was particularly impressed by the two tetrapylons. They are rather uncommon monuments, placed at crossroads that facilitate traffic flow while allowing people to gather.

Note to fellow travelers: Minibuses to Jerash leave when full from the North Station. On the way back to Amman, we got dropped off way out of town, but the driver waved down a city bus that took us close to downtown.

Paraphrasing National Geographic History Magazine, Jerash was a jewel in the Roman Empire. We entered Jerash at the South Gate.


View of the Hippodrome from the grandstand and from the far turn.




The Oval Forum was super cool. Here are a few views.






Jerash has two theaters. The South (below) and North (second below).




All that remains of the South Tetrapylon are the 4 bases.




The Colonnaded Street.








The Lower Stairs leading up to the Temple of Artemis.


The Temple of Artemis.




The Sanctuary of The Temple of Artemis.


The North Tetrapylon (left) and North Gate (right).


Nymphaeum (Monumental Fountain)


Walking towards the North Gate.