The town of Madaba, located 30 kilometers southwest of Amman, is most famous for its exquisite 6th-century mosaics. Its history dates back at least 3500 years, however. Madaba, which was known in the Bible as the Moabite town of Madaba, is mentioned in the Old Testament account of Moses and the Exodus (Numbers 21: 30). David also vanquished an Ammonite and Aramean coalition near Madaba (I Chronicles 19: 7). His victory was short-lived, however, as in the mid-ninth century BCE the Moabite King Mesha freed the city from the control of the Israelites (2 Kings 3). Mesha, whose capital was the ancient city of Dibon (now called Dhiban, and located just north of Wadi Mujib), recorded his victories on the famous Mesha Stele, an inscribed stone set up in about 850 BCE. The rich farmlands around Madaba were coveted and fought over by the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, Israelites, and other local kingdoms.

The Ammonites had conquered Madaba by 165 BCE, but it was taken from them by Hyrcanus I around 110 BCE. His son Hyrcanus II later gave the city to the Nabateans in exchange for their help in recovering Jerusalem from Aristobulus II. Near the beginning of the second century CE, Trajan ousted the Nabateans from Madaba, and the city gradually became a Roman provincial town with the usual colonnaded streets and impressive public buildings. The Byzantine era saw Madaba enter its most affluent era. Grand buildings and a reservoir were constructed, while in the sixth century CE bishops were assigned to the city and a number of religious structures were erected. The importance of Madaba as a Byzantine ecclesiastical center is demonstrated by the wealth of elaborate mosaics scattered throughout the town. After the Persian invasion of 614 CE and a devastating earthquake in the year 747, the town was gradually abandoned. Madaba then lay virtually untouched until it was resettled in the late 19th century by Christians from Karak. The city’s greatest treasures, its mosaics, were uncovered then when these migrants were digging foundations for their houses. Madaba’s most famous mosaic is located in the Church of St. George in the middle of town. The Mosaic Map of Palestine represents the Holy Land and its surrounding regions. Clearly visible on the map are al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dead Sea, the Jordan River, Nablus, al-Khalil (Hebron), Ariha (Jericho), Egypt and the Nile River, Turkey, and Lebanon. The mosaic was made around 560 CE, originally composed of over 2.3 million pieces, and measured a staggering 25 by 5 meters. It is thought that 11,500 man-hours would have been required to lay the entire mosaic. The church is open to the public every day 08:30-18:00, except for Friday and Sunday when it is open 10:30-18:00. A small donation to the poor is requested. 

Madaba’s museum is located down a small alley a few blocks south of St. George’s Church. Just follow the signs. The museum’s greatest attraction is a collection of mosaic collages, some of which are in excellent condition. It was established on the site of an ancient chapel, so its own mosaics form the hub of the museum’s collection. The museum also exhibits traditional embroidered Jordanian dresses, and jewelry and pottery dating back to various ages. The museum is open Wednesday through Monday 09:00-17:00, holidays 10:00-16:00. Adjacent to the museum is an innovative mosaic school.

In an effort to preserve Madaba’s heritage and develop its tourist potential, the Ministry of Tourism established the school to train technicians to repair and restore mosaics. It is the only project of its type in the Middle East. At the southern entrance to Madaba, near the King’s Highway, is the Church of the Apostles. The ruins of this Byzantine church date to 578 CE, and are currently being restored. One of Madaba’s most beautiful mosaics adorns the floor of this church. 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. The mosaic was signed by a mosaicist named Salamanios.

 In addition to its spectacular collection of mosaics and Byzantine treasures, Madaba is also well known for its hand-woven carpets, saddlebags, and tapestries. You can actually see them being crafted on the loom in several shops.

The Mosaic Map of Madaba
It was the Christian vision of continuity and completeness that inspired the mosaic artists and craftsmen of the area to make the Mosaic Map of Madaba, which was considered a guideline for establishing geographic regions and borders.

This famous mosaic was designed in around 570 AD to decorate the floor of a Byzantine church in Madaba. Actually, it is more than a geographic text of that era, showing the entire region from Jordan and Palestine in the north, to Egypt in the south, and depicting in picture form: plains, hills, valleys, villages, and many towns and cities, complete with walls and pitched re-roofed houses, while in the Nile huge fish swim.

It includes a fascinating plan of the holy city of Jerusalem placed at the center of the redeemed acumen: on the left is the north gate from which two colonnaded streets run south. On the straight street through the heart of the city stands the domed Holy Sepulcher. Clearly inscribed above the north and east gates is the legend “Holy City of Jerusalem”.

Today this splendid map is housed in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, which was built in 1896 over the remains of the original Byzantine Church. Only part of the map has been preserved. It originally measured a staggering 25 x 5 meters and was made of more than 2 million pieces of colored stone tesserae.

It includes a fascinating plan of the holy city of Jerusalem placed at the center of the redeemed acumen: on the left is the north gate from which two colonnaded streets run south. On the straight street through the heart of the city stands the domed Holy Sepulcher. Clearly inscribed above the north and east gates is the legend “Holy City of Jerusalem”.
Today this splendid map is housed in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, which was built in 1896 over the remains of the original Byzantine Church. Only part of the map has been preserved. It originally measured a staggering 25 x 5 meters and was made of more than 2 million pieces of colored stone tesserae.

Mount Nebo
Mount Nebo is one of the most revered holy sites of Jordan, located 10 km west of the Roman-Byzantine town of Madaba, for this is where Moses (PBUH) was buried. The site’s association with the last days of Moses is described in moving words in Deuteronomy (34:1-7). The episode of Balak and Balam (2:13-26) also took place here.

The site’s other name is Pisgah: “And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah which is opposite Jericho”. From the mountaintop, which is the highest point in the Moabite range, rising to about 800 meters at its apex, you can admire the dazzling view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, to the rooftops of Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Centuries ago, pilgrims flocked to Mount Nebo on their final destination to visit the sanctuary. These pilgrims left behind vivid accounts of their travels, which helped archaeologists identify this sanctuary.

In the summer of 1933, excavations at Syagha, one of the highest peaks at Nebo, began under the direction of the Jerusalemite Franciscan Fathers. Three long archaeological campaigns had previously resulted in the discovery of the Basilica and of a large monastery, which had continued to expand through the 6th century.

Mount Nebo ‘s first church was constructed in the 2nd half of the 4th century to commemorate the place of Moses’ death. It had three apses and was preceded by a vestibule paved with plain white mosaic; two funeral chapels stood to the north and south of the lateral apses.

Six tombs have been found hollowed from the natural rock beneath the mosaic-covered floor of the church. In the present presbytery, you can see remnants of mosaic floors from different periods. The earliest of these is a panel with a braided cross presently placed on the east end of the south wall.

The Old Diaconicon Baptistery
The three lapsed cellar (cella trichola) was preceded by a courtyard. In August 531 AD a Diaconicon Baptistery was built to the north of the courtyard against one of the funeral chapels. It was reached by a short flight of stairs, as it was one meter lower than the floor of the courtyard.

This rectangular room contained the baptismal stone fountain fashioned in the form of a cross and coated with a thick layer of time plaster. Two Greek inscriptions show the date of the mosaic floor (August 531), the name of the mosaicists, Soel, Kaium, and Elias, and the name of the Bishop of Madaba, Elias.

In its decorative scheme, the mosaic floor is divided into three distinct panels in floor registers depicting pastoral and hunting scenes.

The 5th-7th Century Basilica
In the latter half of the 6th century, the monks decided to enlarge their sanctuary. When removing the facade, the primitive church became the presbytery and the three naves were constructed on the site of the old vestibule and courtyard.

The mosaic work decorating the new basilica was integrated into a single large design or composition centered on a grapevine, with a swastika motif running along the perimeter of the interior of the building. Of this large composition, all that remains today are some geometric designs from the two lateral naves, a large section of the panels that adorned the intervals between

the columns, and two fragments from the central nave.

The New Diaconicon
After the funeral chapel and the Diaconicon Baptistery were dismantled, the floor was adjusted to level with the rest of the basilica, making a single large chapel divided by stairs and railing into two separate rooms. The eastern room was decorated with a mosaic depicting animals and flowers inserted in a geometrical frame; the western room was graced with geometrical motifs.

The elongated chapel might have been used as the Diaconicon of the basilica and as a chapter room for the monks.

Perhaps during the same period in which the Diaconicon was altered and embellished, the ancient funeral chapel was destroyed, and a new room, replete with mosaics, was built instead. This was replaced by a new baptistery with its own mosaics in 597-598 AD. Over the threshold at the entrance of the baptistery, was a welcoming inscription, “Peace to All”, placed to greet visitors entering the chapel.

The Theotokos Chapel
During the first decade of the 7th century, the western door to the baptistery was walled up, three rooms of the monastery were destroyed, and the floor was leveled with the rest of the basilica. This provided the basis and foundation for the construction of the Theotokos (Mother of God) chapel.

This chapel had its own apse and was divided by a railing into two distinct rooms. The floor decoration received special attention with rich geometric multi-color designs encompassing pictures of flowers, animals as well as a ciborium above an altar flanked by two bulls and gazelles.

While the sanctuary was undergoing various stages of architectural development, a parallel series of improvements and changes were taking place in the adjacent monastery. From its primitive nucleus of cells discovered by the archaeologists just outside the basilica on the northern side of the mountain, the complex gradually expanded into a monastic community of respectable size in that very monastic Byzantine world.

The restoration work preserved for future generations this extraordinary Monument of the Faith and brought new life to a sanctuary constructed in ancient times to honor Moses, the Prophet, and man of God. Since September 4, 1976, the annual feast of Moses is celebrated and the Christian community joins with the Franciscan Fathers in this solemnity.

The Italian artist, Giovanni Fantoni, is credited with designing the metal decorations inside the sanctuary as well as the Serpentine Cross (The Brazen Serpent Monument) on the exterior. These are symbolic of the bronze serpent taken by Moses (PBUH) into the desert, and the cross upon which Jesus (PBUH) was crucified.

About 1 km east of Mount Nebo, you can see the spring of Moses, mentioned by Egeria, Peter the Iberian, and Theodosius. In the springtime, this area is dotted by Eucalyptus trees, which grow close to two churches built in the 6th century, with enchanting mosaics: the churches of Deacon Thomas and Kayanos which were adorned with another mosaic pavement in the seventh century. The churches were destroyed by a powerful earthquake that hit the region in AD 749.

Mukawir
Mukawir, also known as Machaerus, is a fortified palace that overlooks the iconic Dead Sea. Although little remains of this regal landmark today, visitors can still explore the Roman baths and castle walls that contributed to its defense system.

Mukawir is located right on top of a hill just two kilometers from the village of Mukawir. The hill towers 1100 meters above the Dead Sea and the castle can be viewed from afar. It is a steep climb to reach the castle but the views are certainly worth it. The closest city to Mukawir is Madaba which is just one hour away by car.

When translated, Mukawir is commonly known as the ‘Castle of the Gallows’ due to the fact that John the Baptist was beheaded here. Over the years this site has played a significant role in Greek, Roman and Jewish history and it is particularly notable for being where Salome, the daughter of Herod II and his wife Herodias, sealed the fate of John the Baptist. The story is that Salome’s dance skills in the castle mesmerized John the Baptist so much so that he granted anything she desired. Salome then requested his head to be served on a platter, hence his beheading at the castle. Mukawir is also believed to be the place where Jesus was taken to Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, for questioning.

Much of the remains at Mukawir may be unrecognizable but the site is still an interesting place to visit. A large proportion of the castle was built by Herod the Great and visitors can explore the original wall which was constructed to protect it. During an excavation project, archaeologists uncovered a large section of the palace which includes a courtyard, mosaics, and a bath. All of the ruins are clearly identifiable and can be covered on foot within a few hours.