World cultural heritage in sandstorm
When I went to Wadi Rum, I sat in the back row. The undulating mountains in front of me and the long and slender road with no end were full of hope for the unknown, but I still held back, thinking not to change positions to shoot the video. , let’s talk about it on the return trip. However, on the return journey, the scene changed and it was not as wonderful as when we arrived. During the journey, every part and every moment cannot be replicated. Only by not hesitating or hesitating can you think of it and do it without regrets.
On the way to the desert, there is an abandoned train station, and the old green leather carriages attract passing tourists to take pictures. The locomotive, the symbol of the industrial revolution, its colors, and the lost charm of modern high-speed railways are all written on this broken body. After the prosperity of steam rising and machinery roaring, there will always be times of loneliness. This law of nature applies to places you know and places you don’t know, such as our destination ahead, Petra.
It takes two hours to get to Petra from the Wadi Rum Desert. After leaving the road in the desert and starting to walk onto the main road, the driver told me the humanistic stories of Jordan at my request while driving. He said that before the opening of Aqaba Airport, the airport here was used. I guess the road below is not an airport runway, becausethe road is too big, toowide, and a bit weirdly wide. His answer confirmed my guess that the road we are driving on is the runway of the old airport.
The road ended and entered the mountainous area. We passed through the mountains. When we passed the small town, the driver asked us if there were such winding mountain roads in China. We replied, there are many. We encountered an embarrassing incident while going to the toilet on the way. We found the only public toilet in the whole journey at the observation deck beside the winding road. However, there was no sign for men and women, only Arabic. Fortunately, a local followed us and told us that the one at the back was the women's toilet. What if there is no one to guide me? I think, one of the two girls should enter one, and one of them must be right. Otherwise, if they both enter one, at least they will have a companion.
He stood on the observation deck and pointed to the mountains in the distance and said that the ruins of Petra were in those mountains.
After passing through 180 twists and turns on the winding mountain road, the car stopped at a large construction site town on the mountain and said that our hotel had arrived. It was very close to the Petra scenic area, only a few hundred meters away. I looked around in surprise. Hotels were one after another, many were under construction, and the dust was flying. It was just a big construction site. I saw Mowenpick again, which was right next to our hotel. Linlin said that she had wanted to order it, but it seemed too expensive. The La Maison Hotel where we stayed cost more than 700 yuan a night, the room was relatively small, and breakfast was 630-1030.
The town is called Wadi Musa. There are some small restaurants on the roadside directly in front of the Petra Scenic Area. I looked at Dianping with no hope and found that many people came here and stayed. After making a record, I searched for information and chose this Mama's recipe restaurant for lunch.
The restaurant is on the second and third floors. You can enter through a narrow porch. The first floor sells small commodities. The second floor is a buffet. I remember it should be 9JD per person. I looked at the dishes and they were far less than breakfast, so I gave up. The waiter told me that the single-course food was on the third floor. The top floor is bathed in warmth under the sun, with ears of wheat and complex red ethnic patterns. It is exactly the environment I want. Two people ordered a large mixed grill platter for 11JD and a green salad for 3JD. It was indeed green, all green! The grilled food was very large, and a thin pancake was placed on the grill, which was the kind that the big sister at the night market baked on the stove belly when I was on a night tour in Aqaba on the first day. French fries, peppers, chicken, large lamb skewers, onions, tomatoes, etc. were stacked on top, and a layer of pancake was placed on the top. Well, the unchanging Pita bread is indispensable. No matter how the locals tear it to eat, I eat it like a pocket like Falafel, putting everything in it, and eating it with roasted peppers, it has a unique taste. The... A 1JD tax was added to the meal. We both have small appetites, so a full meal for 150 RMB is very cheap in Jordan.
Mama’s recipe
Per capita: 100
Address: Tourism Street, Wadi Moussa
Petra Museum
After dinner, we went to visit the free Petra Museum at the entrance of the scenic spot. If it hadn’t been for today, I would never have gone in again.
The Petra Museum stands out among the world's major wonders. Most of those wonders are not equipped with museums. However, Petra displays and protects historical knowledge and small cultural relics that cannot be displayed in the scenic area one by one in the museum.
The information desk, tour route design, and exhibits are all well organized. Archaeological discoveries from BC to the present are divided into 8 parts, allowing people to You can get a general understanding of the historical development of the ancient city of Petra and even Jordan. Sculptures on ancient buildings, pottery for daily use, jewelry worn on the body, mosaic decorations of wealthy people, and even building ruins containing gold powder... all rare treasures can be seen. On the floor of the circular exhibition hall, the historical evolution of Petra is also performed in the form of animation, which is very beautiful.
Outside, a group of tourists were taking a group photo behind the big characters "I love Petra". The naughty little boy got out of P's hole. When I focused the camera on him, he gave me a smile in a very cooperative manner.
We walked 5 minutes back to the hotel to recharge our batteries for the spectacular ruins hidden in the mountains that are waiting for us tomorrow, but we never knew how much hardship it would take to see it.
Petra, one of the new seven wonders of the world
We checked on the Internet and found out that we were very tired from walking around Petra. After getting enough sleep and a full breakfast, we set off at 9:30. I used Jordan Pass to collect my ticket, walked through the small square of the shopping street, and after the second ticket verification, I officially entered the Path of Displacement.
Historic Remains of Petra in Jordan, generally considered The capital of the Nabataean Kingdom from the 4th century BC to the 2nd century AD, the word Petra comes from the Greek word "rock". petrus , It is very likely that "Sira", which also means rock in the Old Testament, and Petra, the place where Moses "touched the stone and water came out" after leaving Egypt in Arabic tradition, are both Petra.
It's cloudy and windy, and winter in Jordan is no warmer than in China. The forecast is only 7 degrees Celsius, and the temperature drops even further. No wonder I don't feel warm even with a scarf around my neck, a fur scarf on my body, a long sweater, and even my shoulders.
To enter the ancient city, you must first walk through the 1.5-kilometer-long Siq Canyon, which is also called the Snake Path because of its winding and narrow nature. It takes about two kilometers to walk from the entrance of the scenic area. That is to say, if you only want to reach the first Khazneh Temple and turn back, you still have to walk 7 kilometers. So you must wear the most comfortable shoes, and the ones that you are not afraid of getting dirty or broken, and you don’t feel bad about throwing away. Not only is the journey long, but the sandy road hurts your feet and seriously slows down your speed. Fortunately, the previous place we went to was Wadi Rum. After walking through the pure sand desert, you will cherish the sandy road.
In the mountain valley at an altitude of more than 1,000 meters, it is surrounded by cliffs more than 80 meters high on both sides. The widest part is about 7 meters and the narrowest part is only 2 meters. The rocks show the characteristics of layered sedimentary rocks, yet they are so soft and delicate. The colors are varied, including earthy yellow, brown, orange, mixed with dark green and even black. They are like layers of plasticine, twisted into waves by spirals. There are niches on the walls of the rock from time to time, some of which are Some are dedicated to gods, and some are to commemorate ancestors. It is said that the nation at that time did not like to carve human figures, so rectangular stones were used to enshrine them in the niches.
Suddenly, there is light at the end of the snake road, and the most shocking scene appears. Only then do you know what Petra is, why it attracts tourists from all corners of the world, and why it is a world cultural heritage and one of the seven new tourist attractions in the world. Big miracle.
The 40-meter-high Al-Khazneh, carved out of the rock, is also known as the Treasury. It is said that the treasures of the kings of Petra are hidden in the temple. There are also treasures underground, but no one dares to dig for fear of disturbing the mountain and causing irreversible consequences. Another saying is that this is the birthplace of "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves", the place where you need to say "Open Sesame". Typical style of late ancient Greek architecture The door eaves and beams are all carved with fine patterns. The three niches on the door are carved with Stone statues of an angel, the Virgin Mary and a winged warrior.
In the 1989 "Raiders of the Lost Ark" movie, the temple where Indiana Jones finally discovered the Holy Grail was the Al-Kazni Temple. During the filming, the Jordanian royal family even came to visit Ban. The tombs of the six Supremes in "Transformers: Revengeance" in 2009 are also here.
The square is crowded with tourists from all over the world, vying to take photos. It is difficult to take a complete picture of the temple. Surrounded by cliffs, those stunning blockbusters were actually shot from the slope on the right side of the square to the mountain on the opposite side. It requires physical strength and caution, and the location is very dangerous. The best time to take pictures is in the morning and evening, when the sun hits the rocks, showing different colors and soft light. Unfortunately, it was cloudy on the day we went.
There is no conclusion on when Petra was built. Some people estimate based on the half-Egyptian and half-Greek style of the mausoleum that it should have been built after the 6th century BC, probably during the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, which was from the 3rd century BC to BC. 2nd century.
The Nabatean Arabs were a nomadic tribe. They settled here around 312 BC. Although the Seleucid king Antigonus tried several times to take control of Petra, it was the Roman monarchs Pompey and Herod who finally incorporated Petra into the Roman Empire. The Romans replaced the Nabataeans in the first century AD. The area was still inhabited during the Byzantine period, when the Roman Empire shifted its center to Constantinople in the east. Petra became an important hub for silk, spices and other trade routes, connecting China, India and southern Arabia as well as Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. By the end of the 2nd century, the center of trade had shifted to the Euphrates River. Since the 16th century, the rise of the Red Sea maritime trade has replaced the land trade routes, and Petra, once a prosperous trade route, began to decline. When it was conquered by the Arab army in the 7th century, it was already an abandoned empty city.
When and why it disappeared, almost all online use the word "evaporated". Only one place says that in the 4th century AD, an earthquake caused damage to the ancient city, many people died, and more people fled the place. In 636 AD, the ancient city was finally abandoned.
The Kingdom of Jerusalem, founded by the Crusaders in the 11th century, ruled Petra for more than a century. In the 12th century, the Crusaders built a fortress in Petra, but soon withdrew. At the end of the 13th century, the Egyptian Sultan Baibars I visited this place... and it disappeared from human memory for nearly a thousand years. The City of Roses until 1812.
In the early 19th century, Petra in the Muslim world was completely isolated from the Western world. Due to war, in 1806, a German scholar tried to sneak into Petra and was brutally killed. In 1812, a young Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, learned to adapt to the local diet, spoke fluent Arabic, studied Islam in Syria and Jordan, and dressed as a Also like a Muslim, he grew a beard and changed his name to Abraham Ibu Abdullah. The locals all believed that he was an Islamic scholar and had no doubt about it.
He made a careful plan, persuaded a local guide, and came up with a good reason: he hoped to find Aaron's tomb at the end of the valley and offer a goat. Aaron in the Bible was Moses’ brother and assisted Moses in leading the Israelites out of Egypt.
On August 22, 1812, the guide took Burckhardt along the snake trail and finally saw He was shocked by the scene, but he could not show his expression. He just took a quick look at the Pharaoh's Treasury and Aaron's Tomb, and immediately concluded that this city was the rumored Petra. He did not dare to stay for long, and left after only one day. He became the first European to confirm the existence of the legendary Petra. The process of this discovery is enough to be made into a thrilling movie.
Yu Qiuyu in "A Sigh for a Thousand Years" Wrote: Jordan is also a desert country, 80% of which is barren. Sometimes, when we see a clump of green grass on the roadside, we will stop and bend down with great pity, arguing about what kind it is, but no one dares to pull out a blade to take a closer look, because it is not easy for it to survive.
Petra Castle, with its stunning beauty, disproves this. It says that human beings have a longer history, more ways of living, more dangerous encounters, and more lonely glory than common sense.
Continuing forward from the square, the road widened and was lined with famous royal tombs. I was very taboo about this, so I didn’t take any photos. I didn’t know about it at first, but later I found out and deleted it. Some buildings have mausoleums on the second floor and banquet halls on the first floor. I really don’t understand the unique practices of this nation in that era and what it was like to sing joyfully downstairs.
From time to time, there are small vendors on both sides of the road selling handicrafts that are not popular in the local area, and the scattered water bars and restaurants are rarely visited. From time to time, a kitten pops out to play with tourists. Many people wear Bedouin scarves on their heads and bodies. I think it is not because they like to look good, but because they are "cold". 10JD is a disposable warm emergency product, it’s worth it.
After walking for more than one kilometer, we entered the Roman ruins area, Column Street, which is like the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey, except that the remaining buildings are not as numerous and complete. It's really emotional, the power of ancient Rome is really powerful, and there are stone cities everywhere they left behind.
The stands of a Roman-style amphitheater that can accommodate 6,000 people are spread out in a fan shape along the mountain. What's amazing is that in the ancient times before the sound system was invented, there was actually a natural sound effect. Standing in the center in front of the stage and clapping your hands or speaking can create a strong echo. There is a passage every 10 stairs in the theater. There are also many Roman columns, Madonna statues, murals, temples, residences, bathrooms, etc. in the city.
After walking another two kilometers, I decided to give up climbing 1,800 steps to see the giant Greek-style Dyer Monastery. I found a big rock to take shelter from the wind and check my bag. Linlin went exploring alone, so she took the photo. On the way back, we encountered a sandstorm. Strong winds caused waves of sand to rise all over the sky, and the clouds turned yellow. Petra lets you know the meaning of a mask to life.
The two of them were so tired that they walked around and found a place to sit. Finally, they found a rock with a leeward wind, and started eating the sun-fried rice dumplings brought from China. It tasted like home. At this time, I suddenly remembered the scene in "Party A and Party B" The scene of Ge You squatting on the city gate, longing for a "good dream day trip" to come to pick him up, was tragic. So I advise friends who come here to play, regardless of whether it is a Jordan Pass or a single ticket, one day is enough! If you don’t believe it, I’ll let you in for free the next day and try again. There are a few people who are willing to leave.
This day happened to be Christmas, December 25th, so I did this thing in one day. After 6 and a half hours, I finally returned to the hotel. No matter what color the shoes were, they had turned gray. She made a reservation with the front desk for Petra Night, a sacred tour of lights and rocks in front of the Khazni Temple. She said she would go no matter how tired she was, because the reason for her trip to Jordan was seeing candlelight online one day. A majestic temple is embedded in the rose-colored rock. I gave up decisively. Rough calculation on this day, it is 1.5 kilometers from the entrance to the snake path, 1.5 kilometers from the snake path, 1 kilometer to the Pillar Street, 1 kilometer long, and 500 meters to the foot of the mountain, and 1,800 steps to climb. , 900 meters to and from the hotel, 800 meters to and from the hotel, and she went on a night trip. In a cold, uneven, sunken, windy and sandy environment, I walked 12 kilometers and she walked 21 kilometers.
Today is unforgettable and unforgettable.
Tips
1. Transportation:
Bus: Alpha Daily Tours, phone (06) 5855196, one day trip to Petra every day, including tickets, horse riding, and English-speaking tour guide. Gather at Amman Bay Hotel for departure at 7:30 am
JETT Company, phone number (06) 5664146, air-conditioned buses depart from Amman Abdali Station to Petra at 6:30 every morning and return at 16:00
Car: Driving from Amman to Petra takes 3 hours on the modern desert highway, and 5 hours on the more scenic Kings Highway. Start from the 7th ring road in Amman, and then follow the brown signs specially designed for tourists
Taxi: It is about 50JD from Amman to Petra, but be sure to negotiate the price before departure
2. Scenic spot opening hours: 6:00-16:00 in winter, 6:00-18:00 in summer
3. Tickets: For tourists staying in Petra, admission is 50 JD for one day, 55 for two days, 60 for three days, and 90 JD for those who do not stay on the same day. Those who have bought the Jordan Pass (70 JD is enough, including visa fee 40 JD) do not need to buy tickets. You can directly show the QR code at the ticket hall to collect the tickets, and then enter the scenic spot. There is a secondary inspection at the door, and you must show the Jordan Pass and the ticket at the same time.
Petra Night is not included. You have to buy it at your hotel on the day of travel, not in advance. Only cash is accepted for 17JD to ensure that you are actually staying in Wadi Musa. Two sessions per night, sometimes canceled due to weather conditions
There are no motor vehicles in the scenic area. If you can't walk, you can pay to ride a donkey, camel, or carriage. They all take fixed routes to the main attractions and are led by their owners. Carriage is the most expensive, 20 JD round trip from the entrance to the Kazni Temple , 40 JD round trip to Column Street, which should be the price of a car, which can accommodate two people. Many people go to see the top of the mountain and ride donkeys at Dyer Abbey. It’s great, but don’t ride down the mountain. There are no handrails in front and it’s easy to fall down. It’s dangerous.
4. Shopping: Don’t buy anything. Locals in Jordan say that Petra is the most expensive. You can buy the same things in Petra elsewhere at low prices.
5. Essentials: Comfortable shoes. Don’t even think about breaking in your new shoes here. You will be the one to suffer because the journey is too long and there is a lot of dirt. Sun hat, sunglasses, mask, scarf, water is essential!
6. Other attractions: In the surrounding area, you can also go to Dana, a mountain village that looks like a bird's nest. It is in a nature reserve, just on the way from Amman to Petra, so it is best to go to Petra on the first day or back. On the way to Amman
Heading north, passing through the desert and encountering sandstorms
The driver, Nasri, has been driving for 14 years and said he knows every road in Jordan. Early the next morning, we left Petra and headed for the Dead Sea, taking a road that only experienced drivers would dare to take, because there were no signs on this road, and some were in Arabic. Normally Google will direct you to the highway that takes 5 hours to reach the Dead Sea, this road only takes 3.
At first, it was an undulating mountain road. Due to the slope, the car could not reach the front, and it was impossible to know which direction the road below was going. It was still raining, but Nasri was still able to navigate it in the hazy atmosphere. After about an hour, we left the mountainous area and entered the desert area. Before the rain had dried up, the sandstorm came again, and the unpredictable bad weather added a dreamy quality to this trip.
There were very few cars on the road, and some stopped on the road because they didn’t know where to go, and there was no network signal, so they had no way to call for help. The wind and sand are getting thicker and thicker, rolling across the narrow desert road, the visibility dropped from 20 meters to 10 meters, the only three cars slowed down, one after another, no one knew anyone, but they all had a tacit understanding, forming a It's like a train carriage running at the same speed but not connected to each other. There was actually a pedestrian on the roadside. It would take him forever to get out. He extended his thumb to ask for a ride, but the driver ignored him. I'm really worried about him.
Nasri said that there is a primitive hotel in the desert with no electricity, and what he wants is to experience this primitive life. It's hard for me to imagine how people live in such a difficult environment. Who stays in that hotel and what it's called. In fact, I'm very interested in it myself.
We didn't know where to start, so we finally reached an intersection and turned left to Aqaba and right to the Dead Sea.
Looking back on this road that we just had a near miss, one-third of it is a strange landform, and two-thirds can’t be seen. I prefer the section where I can’t see anything. It’s full of unknowns, mysteries, and the wind blows the sand layer by layer. The layered run was very beautiful, and it was the most unforgettable stretch of our ten days.
On the way we saw rare factories and simple villages, and the Dead Sea in Jordan flowed to the left. The Dead Sea is the end point of the Jordan River, and the virtual center line is the national border between the two countries. The lowest lake in the world, along with the Jordan Valley, is known as the "Navel of the Earth". Sadly, it is shrinking and disappearing every year. When I was at the Dead Sea in Israel, they told me that the pink mountain opposite was Mount Jordan. But today, when I am standing in Jordan, they told me that it is called Mount Palestine. I was shocked.
In a valley 40 kilometers away from the Dead Sea is the famous Mayin Hot Spring. It is surrounded by a river and a waterfall to form a spring mouth. There is also a small cave on the waterfall, forming a natural sauna. Since the Roman period, people have been enjoying the Mayin Hot Spring, using hot mineral spring water for thermal therapy. The driver said that many Arabs come to use the free hot springs because they like everything that costs nothing.
The Dead Sea in Jordan is the same as in Israel. There are many luxury hotels lined up, and each hotel has its own private beach. But this is exactly what I think is a pity. These luxury hotels cannot escape the business atmosphere. Compared with resorts, they lack a lot of leisure and design. In my travel diary in Israel, I also wrote that I advised everyone not to stay there, but to go to the Ingedi Kibbutz Communist Farm Desert Oasis Resort, an hour's drive north of the Dead Sea. So if you come to Jordan, you can give up the Dead Sea attraction.
The hotel we stayed in was at an altitude of -373 meters, and the seaside was closed due to weather conditions. The two of us went to a nearby supermarket and bought an egg roll, which was delicious. When we returned to the courtyard, we saw a strange scene. There were probably a thousand crows flying overhead and a storm was coming. We walked to the beach and were finally coaxed back to the room by a sudden rainstorm. Today is December 26th, and the Christmas atmosphere is strong. Listening to Christmas songs and watching Santa Claus and clowns playing happily with the children. At night, while drinking salty water with two packets of sugar in it, I listened to the wind, rain, and dust beating on my window. I always felt like someone was moving around outside the balcony, which made me sleep uneasily.
Hotels at the Dead Sea get cheaper as you go north, and the Holiday Inn is the four-star hotel in the north. During these days in Jordan, I often see waiters with black hair and yellow skin. It turns out that Jordanian hotels like to recruit Filipinos because their native language is English.
After a sumptuous five-star breakfast, we set off on the road to Madaba, the mosaic city. On the road, we came across a building that looked like an abandoned stadium. The driver introduced that the building next to it was the Muslim Women's Hotel. The staff were all female and they only accepted Muslim female guests. It’s really a vast world full of wonders.
Biblical town Madaba
The next morning, it was still raining. We arrived at Nasri’s hometown, Madaba, a small town 33 kilometers southwest of the capital Amman. Madaba. There are many translations, such as Madaba, Madaba, Madaba, all of which refer to it. A small town on the only highway in Jordan. before It used to take more than 5 hours to get from Wadi Rum to Madaba, but now it only takes more than 3 hours.
I heard that this city is also called the "Mosaic City", so I visited one of the oldest mosaic studios on the way. We watched craftsmen cut long strips of stone into pieces and glue them to boards. However, did you know that the mosaic is glued backwards, and the picture you see is the picture turned upside down. This studio is also a big store, and it should be a shopping spot for group tours, but I also took action. A big problem when traveling to Jordan is that there is nothing to buy. I purchased a lot of Dead Sea mineral skin care products here.
It is said that one of the earliest Christian cities in Jordan is here. Christians (mainly Orthodox) account for 8% of the total population of Jordan. There is also a theory that Madaba was founded as a small town after Jesus preached. However, humans were already living here more than 4,500 years ago. The history of the town is as long as 3,500 years, and Jesus was born. In 2 BC, 2002 years ago, so this statement is obviously not reliable.
The first mention of Madaba in the Bible is around BC 1200 In the Book of Exodus, the ancient tombs of this period have been found in the east of the city. Mount Nebo, 10 kilometers away, is said to be the founder of Judaism. The most important figure in Christianity after God and Jesus ——The place where the prophet Moses ascended to heaven. Around the 13th century BC, Moses led the Jews out of Egypt. After crossing the Red Sea and wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, They moved to Mount Nebo, Moses goes up to Nebo Mountain , after gazing at the promised land of Canaan, he ascended to heaven. 《 The Moabite town of Madaba mentioned in the Bible (Numbers 21:30) is Madaba. . After centuries of Moabite and Nabatean rule, in AD 106 In 1425, Emperor Trajan conquered the Nabataean Kingdom and made Medaba and its surrounding areas part of the Roman Empire's Arabian province. Traces of the Roman town are still visible in the long streets of Madaba Archaeological Park.
Many churches were built between the 6th and 7th centuries, and the Mosaic floors are a mark of this era. It continued to prosper and develop until the eighth century , In 749 AD, a major earthquake razed Madaba to the ground. At that time people still used mosaics for decoration, the floor in the church was built in 767.
In 1879, three large Christian families of about 2,000 people immigrated to Madaba from the Christian Arab tribes of the ancient Karak region. Since then, the city has become Christchurch. As these immigrants began building new homes and churches, countless mosaic floors were discovered.
Madaba is 785 meters above sea level. The ancient city of Madaba was destroyed by the earthquake. The current city was rebuilt on artificial mounds. Many ancient ruins from earlier sites are buried there. underground. The place above where the ground is covered with mosaic tiles is The Church 0f the Virgin Mary, the Church of the Virgin Mary. There is only one courtyard and an open, empty house. You can go up and down through metal steps. Standing on a high place, you can overlook the well-preserved entire mosaic on the ground. There is also an old well outside.
In 1887, a huge floor mosaic was unearthed in an ancient building where a family lived in Madaba. There are three green inscriptions in this mosaic, saying that this is the Church of the Virgin Mary. This is the first floor mosaic in Madaba known to scholars. The family who lived here continued to live here until 1972, when the area was expropriated by the Province of Antietia and excavation work began. Slowly it was discovered that the church was built on the hall of the Madaba manor called the Hall of Hippolytus, which was built in the 6th century on an even older building - the Rotunda. Temple.
The church's circular nave is shaped like the Roman temple on which it was built, with an internal vestibule and an elongated semicircular presbytery supported by two crypt rooms with columned vaults. The mosaics you see now are not the original Byzantine mosaics, but were created as part of restoration work during the Ummayad period.
Many buildings built during the Byzantine period were built on the ruins of Roman buildings. Many Roman columns and stones were used in Byzantine and Islamic architecture, and Roman buildings were used as cellar vaults in churches and residences.
The Church 0f the Virgin Mary
Ticket: 3JD, Jordan Pass available
St. George's Church
Madaba is the city with the largest variety of mosaics in the world. There are hundreds ofmosaic paintings from the fifth to seventh centuries scattered in churches and houses in the town. , most of them have a history of more than 1,400 years, are exquisitely conceived, coordinated in color, and exquisite in technology, are rich in content, such as flowers, birds, insects, fish, birds and animals, as well as mythological storylines, hunting and farming, etc. Daily life scenes. The most famous one is undoubtedly the Saint George’s Greek Orthodox Church Saint George’s Church located in the city center. In 1897, the locals planned to clean up the place and build a new church. They chose a relatively flat place on a hill and unexpectedly discovered this mosaic. It is an approximately The floor of the ancient Byzantine church built in AD 560.
This is the oldest map of the Middle East in the world. It originally covered the entire floor of the church hall. it is 15.7 meters long and 5.6 meters wide. It is composed of 2 million brightly colored The ore composition,accurately describes all the major cities of the Holy Land and their salient features,from the Phoenician cities of Tire and Sidon in the north to Egypt in the south; from the Mediterranean in the west to the Arabian Desert. It accurately maps the locations of ancient Palestinian and Egyptian towns and villages, mountains and canyons, as well as rivers and oceans, including 6th century AD Jerusalem and Alexandria. Due to years of wars and earthquakes, the old church was completely destroyed. Later Christians rebuilt St. George's Church on the basis of the broken floor. Now it is only 15 meters long and 3 meters wide.
Jerusalem is the most important city and is located in the center of the entire mosaic map. On the map, we can clearly see the Church of Our Lady, the Kadu Maximus, and a colonnaded street that runs from east to west through the center of the ancient city. Today in Jerusalem we can still see the fragments of the Kadu Maximus, which were built by the Romans after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. There are 157 Greek labels on the map, marking the main towns and buildings in the Holy Land at that time, including the Jordanian towns of Karak and Madaba.
The church was on a lonely street on a rainy day. There were piles of stones that looked like Roman pillars beside the path leading to the main entrance of the church. The cold wind and rain were too freezing. We tightened our clothes, huddled up and trotted, only glancing at the church's facade. He ran into the house. The interior is a small exhibition hall, with scenes and characters from the excavations hanging there. Maybe there was sunshine at that time, but just from the photos and old movies, I always feel that the old times were so gloomy. Postcards are 50 cents each, JD of course, and admission is free.
After not staying for a long time, Nasri asked us to follow him, saying that you must have never seen a church like this. We are skeptical about how special a church in a small town can be. Looking down the narrow spiral staircase, it turns out that the church has an underground space. We all replied that we had indeed never seen such a church and couldn’t believe it was a church. It looked like an underground city in Cappadocia, Turkey.
The cellar still retains the old well, and water can still be brought up using a rubber bucket on a pulley. The water is clear and sweet. There is still a considerable part of the cellar that has not been excavated, such as the short hole in the picture above. From there, you can see the original soil samples and walls. The space is large, and several rooms display ancient religious paintings and mosaics. What is striking is that olive trees can be seen in many places. Nasri explained that olive trees have many fruits and are also known as the tree of life. Many people come here to seek children.
The golden age of mosaics developed with the development of Christianity. In the early days of Christianity, a large number of believers were persecuted because they were not recognized, so they flocked to basements to avoid gatherings. Because they were illiterate, they described the story of Jesus in mosaics. Emperor Constantine made Christianity legal and vigorously promoted its development. So a large number of churches began to use mosaics to beautify them. The colors became more and more rich, and there were even a large number of Gold leaf was also used, and this was the peak period of mosaic development. During the Byzantine Empire, Madaba became the seat of the regional bishops. During this period, especially in the sixth century, mosaic art flourished and can be seen in churches, public buildings, and private homes. traces of it.
The darkest part of the church used to be a place where gold was stored, and was later a place where believers rested after work. It was covered with striped Arabic carpets, and there was an ancient Arabic coffee pot on the table. agricultural production tools. Nasri also helped us demonstrate the use of these agricultural tools.
Now it is still a Christian school. After the fifth grade, the boys and girls are divided. Girls continue to stay in school, while boys go to other campuses in Madaba. Speaking of schools, the Madaba Mosaic School near the Holy Virgin Church is The Jordanian Ministry of Tourism supported the establishment of , the only school in the Middle East that specializes in training artisans in the creation, repair and restoration of mosaics.
There are two private schools in the north of the town. From a literal translation, they are the German school and the American school, with only primary and secondary schools. The king's son goes to an American school. There are many American teachers who can learn English. It is also the most expensive school for the rich in Jordan, with a tuition of 8,000 JD per semester, which is RMB 80,000.
I find countries with kings very interesting. The road we took that was easier to walk in the small town was a new road ordered by the king to be built. It used to be in dilapidated condition. There are not many people in this small town. The urban construction is between the countryside and has a unique Middle Eastern atmosphere.
Adonis Restaurant & Cafe
The lunch time we were looking forward to in the cold finally arrived, and we went to a restaurant in a deserted alley above the small town, Adonis, whose name is a local wine. The building is made of stone, with a cave-like entrance. The door is decorated with many green plants and is full of vitality.
The interior really surprised us. The space is very large, one space after another, like exploring a cave. There is an independent "hole" in the bar area. This must be the leading restaurant in the small town. After chatting with the waiter, I learned that this store has been open for 10 years, and the largest wall is the old wall of the 300-year-old church. The furnishings also have an Arabian style, and I even found a butterfly sewing machine made in China.
The restaurant serves local specialties, Jordanian Arabic dishes, which are large and hearty. The most delicious sizzling chicken and sizzling mutton are covered with pancakes, which can be eaten rolled or torn. The white one is hummus sauce, made from ground chickpeas and some spices. Grilled eggplant, salad, pita bread, Middle Eastern pickles and crispy cucumbers all taste good. If you like wine, even if you don't, it's worth ordering a glass of locally produced wine to try. We both tasted dry red and dry white. The dry white I drank was refreshing in the mouth and sweet in the aftertaste. It was a good wine. The price is slightly higher, 5JD for this cup, RMB 50.
The driver was a very good man, a teetotaler, but he actually liked drinking. That day we asked him his true age for the first time at the dinner table. It really surprised us, my sister and my son. He had a big beard with 14 years of driving experience and looked like a middle-aged man. We both thought he was almost 40. Well, you are actually only 26 years old. I dare you to drive at the age of 12... you are a bold and careful guy.
Adonis Restaurant
Phone: +962 7 7666 6848
Address: Jordan, Madaba, Next to Latin School and church, 17110
Visit the 200-year-old Al Gherbal Restaurant
Amman has not been the capital of Jordan since ancient times. Salt, the capital of Jordan during the Ottoman Turkish era, is just a 30-minute drive west of Amman. It is compactly built in the union of three mountains. It was once one of the most important settlements connecting the Eastern Desert and the Jordan Valley. Its prosperity and splendor far surpassed that of today's Amman. During the rule of the Ottoman Turkish Empire at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Sartre was pushed to the peak of its prosperity. The Romans, Byzantines and Mameluks also promoted Sartre. Unique development.
At that time, the Ottoman Turks established a regional administrative center in Sarte and encouraged people from all over the empire to settle there. Many wealthy merchants built magnificent residences with their newly earned wealth, and people can still appreciate these magnificent houses in Sarte today. These magnificent buildings made of yellow sandstone combine local and European architectural styles. The typical house has a round roof, a courtyard and tall arched windows. The most beautiful of them is the Built between 1892 and 1906 Abu Jaber mansion, with murals painted by Italian painters, is said to be the best representative of local 19th century merchant residences.
Now, hundreds of years later, peace has returned. But the buildings from the Ottoman Turkish era are still well preserved. Using local yellow stone, it was built on the hillside according to the mountain topography, layer upon layer, making Sarthe a golden city. On sunny days, it is particularly dazzling.
You can visit the nearby Al-Khader Orthodox Church, which is said to be able to cure many difficult illnesses; the Antiquities Museum (Antiquities Museum) allows you to learn about the architecture and history of Sarthe. The Ayyubid fortress built by Saladin’s nephew al-Ma’azzam Isa shortly after 1198 AD. There's also the Castle Hill, or just take a walk in the Old Town and admire the narrow streets. But be sure to wear comfortable shoes because there are many steps in the mountain city. If summer comes, you should wait until the evening or evening before doing outdoor activities to prevent exposure to the sun.
But we didn’t go there. We came here to visit Al Gherbal Restaurant . Looking at the 10-day trip in Jordan, there are two favorite restaurants, one is Madaba’s. Adonis, the other is it.
The driver, who was familiar with every road, felt dizzy when he got here. After driving around for a long time, he finally arrived. The road in the small town is not narrow, but it looks crowded because there are cars parked on both sides. There was a long queue of cars, moving slowly, and there was no vacancy in the parking lot in front of the door. Parking was completely dependent on luck. And we were just lucky enough to catch a car driving by the roadside of the restaurant.
The lintel of the store reads 1827, which is the year it was founded. It has been nearly 200 years ago. At first we thought the first floor was a restaurant, but when we entered, we discovered that it was a workshop selling pita bread, freshly made and sold, just like we sell steamed buns. The two chefs were skillfully baking, quickly putting the pies one by one into the pizza-like oven. The thin chef on the right doesn't smile, but he is very enthusiastic and cooperates with us to take photos. He seems to be a good and unsmiling employee.
To go out to the real restaurant, go up to the second floor from the colorful steps covered with flower pots on the side, enter the side door, and continue going up the stairs. The sight that greeted us was a huge surprise. This restaurant is very large, but it does not affect the warmth at all. There are small rooms one after another, just like a family.
Five rooms, each with its own story. The middle area is a handicraft workshop and gift shop. Gegeli has finished handicraft fabrics and many paintings hanging on the walls. It looks like a family operation, with the little girl obediently doing her own thing, and the father-like man looking at his phone and smoking a cigarette, enjoying himself.
The restaurant has private rooms, more casual tables, and a balcony. Standing on the balcony, it is easy to see the traffic jam scene just now. The hills are densely covered with houses. It turns out that this place is the same, it is a residential building, several families live together, and the neighborhood relations are very good. The houses are located next to each other, with roofs attached to each other, making it easy to move.
There are old objects everywhere, even antiques that are over a hundred years old. These items are accompanied by instructions. Old TVs, colorful old wooden furniture, Sony radios, sewing machines, telephones, scales, balances, clocks, iron leaf fans, bottles and cans, old Arabian kettles, steel helmets... I really like this fusion of local culture and a sense of age. The place.
Under the glass plate of the table where we ate was a 150-year-old wooden board. That which strips wheat from its ears.
Many of the tableware are strange Jordanian-style utensils, such as the French fries before the meal. The dishes are also special Jordanian Arabic dishes, which taste very good and are suitable for Chinese people. I think everyone who comes to Jordan should visit and have a meal.
Al Gherbal Restaurant
Time: Open until 2am
Address: Prince Hamza St, As-Salt, Jordan