Amman

For other meanings, see Amman (disambiguation)

Ammān [عمّان ʿAmmān] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) Philadelphia (Ancient Greek) Rabbah (Ammonite)
City
File:Western Amman ZAHRAN.jpg
Flag Seal
Country	Jordan
Governorate	Capital Governorate
Founded	7000 B.C.
Municipality	1909
Government
• Mayor	Omar Maani
Area
• City	1,680 km2 (650 sq mi)
Elevation	777m−1,400 m (2,564 ft)
Population  (2010)
• City	1,919,000
• Metro	2,325,000
Website	http://www.ammancity.gov.jo/en/gam/index.asp

Amman (/ɑːˈmɑːn/; ʿAmmān) is the capital and largest city of Jordan. It is the area's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The city has the population of 2,842,629 as of 2011. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost 6.5 million by 2025 due to constant and rapid immigration. Amman is also the administrative seat of the homonymous governorate.

Amman was named one of the area's best cities according to economic, labour, environmental, and socio-cultural factors.

History

The Roman theatre in Amman

The Amman Odeon (2nd century AD)

Temple of Hercules, Roman Corinthian Columns at Citadel Hill

Amman in the late 1960s

Amman in 1940

During its long history, Amman has been inhabited by several civilizations. The first civilization on record is during the Neolithic period, around 10050 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. In the Hebrew Bible, it is referred to as Rabbat ʿAmmon (Tiberian Hebrew Rabbaṯ ʿAmmôn). It was later conquered by the Assyrians, followed by the Persians, and then the Macedonians. Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the Macedonian 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 321 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. 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 instead of As-Salt 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 1949,and 1963, when the population expanded considerably due to an influx of Palestinian refugees from what is now Occupied Territories. Amman has experienced exceptionally rapid development since 2010 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. The city's population continues to expand at a dizzying pace (fueled by refugees escaping the wartime events in the West Bank and Iraq). The city received refugees from these countries on a number of occasions. The first wave of Palestinian refugees arrived from Palestine 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 915 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

Natural-colour satellite image of Amman.

Amman is situated on hilly area of north-western Jordan. The city was originally built on seven hills, but it now spans over an area of nineteen hills (each known as a Jabal, Tál, Mount or Mountain). The main areas of Amman gain their names from the hills and mountains on whose slopes they lie. The city's elevation ranges from mountain to mountain, they range from 740m-1400m (2035–3610 feet).

Climate

Spring in an affluent Amman suburb

Amman
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     60     12 4     59     14 5     44     17 7     8.3     23 10     2.8     28 14     0.1     31 18     0     32 20     0     32 19     0.1     31 18     8.3     27 15     26     20 9     50     14 6 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm Source: Jordan Meteorological Department
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     2.4     54 39     2.3     56 40     1.7     63 44     0.3     73 50     0.1     82 58     0     87 64     0     90 67     0     90 67     0     87 64     0.3     80 58     1     67 49     2     58 42 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches

Amman features a semiarid climate with warm summers and cold winters. Amman's location and altitude has a profound effect on its climate. Spring is brief, mild and lasts a little less than a month, from April to May, with rain during the morning and the afternoons. High temperatures are around 14 °C (57 °F) and lows are a little less than 7 °C (45 °F) and several times going near 0 °C (32 °F) causing several freezes. Snow is known to fall on the city during the spring, sometimes with severe storms happening during the season.

Amman has moderate summers starting from late May to early October. Summer's high temperatures range from 25 °C (77 °F) to 33 °C (91 °F), usually with low humidity and frequent cool breezes. Most summers are rain-free with cloudless skies during the noon period and a brief shower or fog during the night-time. The summer's pleasant temperatures can be disturbed by heatwaves that suddenly raise the city's temperatures to around 35 °C (95 °F) and in some rare but recorded cases to as high as 40 °C (104 °F) such as during the summer of 1999. A much more common weather inconvenience is the sudden drop in temperatures, which occurs during many summer nights accompanied by moderate winds and in many cases fog.

Autumn is usually mild, and lasts from October to late November or mid-December. It can range from being very rainy and even snowy, to arid dry. There have been several cases when the autumn season has instead been a continuation of summer and even brought the dusty winds that rarely if ever occur during the hottest summers - an example being the autumn of 2005, in which there was no rain whatsoever. On several other occasions, autumn combined with winter and served to create a prolonged cold winter.

The winter in Amman is long, cold and dark, skies are usually cloudy the entire winter period and fog is almost constant. Winter usually starts in late November and continues to mid-April. Temperatures frequently drop near or below 0 °C (32 °F), with snow usually falling a few times each year. Due to its high altitude above sea level, winter in Amman is usually one of the coldest in any major city in the Levant or south-east of Europe and the surrounding countries; winters are usually rainy and many rain storms occur during the season, with a few of them accompanied by moderate to severe lightning storms - after a rainy afternoon with temperatures around 4 °C (39 °F) the night temperatures fall below 0 °C (32 °F) freezing any rainwater that had accumulated. Sleet is very common, and dew in the dry winter mornings is usually found frozen until 10 am. Snowy winter storms occur several times around the city. Due to the difference in elevation, snow may accumulate in the western parts of Amman (an average altitude of 1200m above sea level) when at the same time it would be raining in the city centre (776 m elevation). On average at least one severe snow storm every couple of years will accumulate up to 15 or 20 inches of snow (40 to 50 centimetres) in any given place.

Climate data for Amman (1976-2005)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	12.2 (54.0)	13.5 (56.3)	17.0 (62.6)	22.7 (72.9)	27.6 (81.7)	30.5 (86.9)	32.1 (89.8)	32.1 (89.8)	30.5 (86.9)	26.5 (79.7)	19.7 (67.5)	14.2 (57.6)	23.2 (73.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	3.9 (39.0)	4.5 (40.1)	6.6 (43.9)	10.2 (50.4)	14.2 (57.6)	17.5 (63.5)	19.7 (67.5)	19.4 (66.9)	17.6 (63.7)	14.5 (58.1)	9.3 (48.7)	5.5 (41.9)	11.9 (53.4)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	60.0 (2.36)	58.5 (2.30)	44.0 (1.73)	8.3 (0.33)	2.8 (0.11)	0.1 (0.00)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.1 (0.00)	8.3 (0.33)	26.2 (1.03)	50.0 (1.97)	258.3 (10.17)
Mean monthly sunshine hours	179.8	182.0	226.3	258.0	328.6	369.0	387.5	365.8	312.0	275.9	225.0	179.8	3,289.7
Source 1:
Source 2: Hong Kong Observatory (for data of sunshine hours),

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A panoramic view of Amman's skyline in 2003, showing several landmarks including the Al-Iskan Bank Building, The Tower, Raghadan Flagpole, Le Royal Hotel, Zara Towers and the King Abdullah I Mosque

Districts

Abdali district

The Ottoman-built defunct Amman station of the Hejaz Railway

The Rainbow Cinema in Jabal Amman, located on Rainbow Street

The city is administered as the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), and covers 27 districts which include:

	District Name
1	Âbdali
2	Abu Nsér
3	Um-Ožayna
4	Qwésmé, Jwaydé, Abu Âlanda and Raqim
5	Yarmuk
6	Jizah
7	Müwaqar
8	Mqabalayen
9	Bader
10	New Bader (Bader è Jadida)
11	Basmān
12	Hüsbān
13	Jbeyha
14	Xraybet è Suq
15	Marj ıl Hamām
16	Mārka
17	Médina
18	Nawur (Naûr)
19	Ohod
20	Rās ıl Êyn
21	Sahāb
22	Şafa Badran
23	Swéyleh
24	Tariq
25	Tlaâ’l Âli
26	Valley of Orchards (Vādi'l Sér)
27	Zahrān

Transportation

See also: Transport in Jordan, List of roads in Amman, and King's Highway (ancient)

Abdoun Bridge

City bus

The city's largest airport, Queen Alia International Airport, situated about 30 km (18.64 mi) south of Amman, is the major international airport in Jordan and the hub for Royal Jordanian, the flag carrier. The airport has three terminals, two passenger and one cargo, and in 2007 handled between 4 to 5 million passengers. The airport is undergoing expansion, including a new terminal costing $700M, that will allow the airport to handle over 9 million passengers. A new rail line being constructed will connect Queen Alia International with Rağadan, Mahatta, and Zarqa. Taxis and buses serve the airport 24/7.

Marka International Airport is a one-terminal airport that serves primarily domestic and nearby international routes and the military.

The recently constructed Abdoun Bridge spans Wadi Abdoun, and connects the 4th Circle to Âbdoun Circle. It is considered one of Amman's many landmarks. It is the first curved suspended bridge to be built.

The Hijaz railway, built in the early 20th century, was used primarily for pilgrims to reach the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, but now the rail line is basically used by tourists. There are new projects being built to add more rail lines in the Kingdom, most of which will go through Amman, and the construction of a subway is undergoing.

Currently under construction are dedicated lanes for bus services which will operate as part of the new urban rapid transit network. There are also plans to construct a three-line metro system in Amman. The first phase consists of two lines, the red and green lines, connecting East, Central, and West Amman with an interchange station (linking the two lines) at Amman Plaza with connections to the Northern and Southern suburbs. The second phase consists of the yellow line, connecting North and South Amman with an interchange to the red and green lines at the Abdali and City Hall stations. The project would cost more than half a billion dollars. In addition to this there are plans to construct a funicular line in East Amman connecting the old downtown with The Citadel . These projects should be completed by 2016 with the entire capital transportation system scheduled for completion by 2025.

Amman will be connected by the Kingdom's national rail project that will link Amman with the rest of the Kingdom and the region. It should be completed by 2013.

Amman has an extensive highway system that links every part of the city to one another. Its highways also link nearby cities such as Zarqa and Madaba. The Amman-Zarqa highway becomes very congested with commuters at rush hour which is why a new commuter rail line is being constructed. Amman also has an extensive bus system. There are pedestrian tunnels that bring pedestrians from one side of a highway to another.

There are eight circles, or roundabouts, that span and connect West Amman. However, the city lacks an operable rail or metro system which causes severe congestion, especially in old Amman. To add to the congestion, all the Kingdom's highways pass through Amman, further increasing traffic in the capital.

By land, the city has frequent bus connections to other cities in Jordan, as well as to major cities in neighboring countries; the latter are also served by service taxis. Internal transport is served by a number of bus routes and taxis. Service taxis, which most often operate on fixed routes, are readily available and inexpensive. The two main bus and taxi stations are Abdali (near the King Abdullah Mosque, the Parliament and Palace of Justice) and the newly built Rağadan Central Bus Station (near the Roman Amphitheatre in downtown). The city can suffer from considerable traffic congestion at peak hours, especially during the summer months when affluent holidaymakers from the Persian Gulf region spend the summer in Amman to take advantage of its comparatively mild weather.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Jordan

Jordan Gate Towers

East Amman

File:ABDALI-Sunrise.JPG

Rendered picture of the Planned Abdali New Downtown

Souk JARA

Amman is a regional hub in communications, transportation, medical tourism, education, and investment. Amman is aggressively positioning itself as a hub for business, and new projects are continually transforming the city's skyline. Following the 2003 Iraq War, all business dealings with Iraq flow through Amman in some way. Its airport, Queen Alia International Airport, is the hub of the national carrier, Royal Jordanian, which is a major airline in the region. The airline is headquartered in central Amman. Amman is a major tourist gateway in the country because most of the country's foreign tourists arrive in Jordan through Amman. Amman is currently experiencing rapid growth in many different areas, with large growth seen in the real estate, construction, banking, finance and business sectors. Numerous skyscrapers are under construction as the city municipality recently lifted the ban of buildings taller than 4 stories and allocated designated areas for high rises. All major highways of Jordan cross in Amman making the capital busy with freight trucks, buses and cars passing through the city.

Amman is already being called the business capital of the Levant. Construction projects like the Abdali Urban Regeneration Project, the Jordan Gate Towers and TAJ Mall will just solidify Amman's claim to this title. With Jordan becoming known as the gateway to Iraq and the Palestinian territories and for its free trade policies, Amman has the potential to monopolize business and trade in the Levant.

The Greater Amman Munincipality's heavy investment in its infrastructure, such as the expansion of Queen Alia International Airport, the construction of a state of the art public transportation system, a national railway, and expansion of road works, will ease the arrival of millions of new visitors and tonnes of cargo through this soon to be regional hub. Amman's increasing importance to the reconstruction of Iraq and the developing economy of the Palestinian territories make these investments unavoidable.

Amman has both a modern and historic touch. East Amman is the older part of the capital where single family dwellings on the hill side and small shops and bazaars in the wadis, or valleys, dominate East Amman's layout. Old Amman is filled with souks, or bazaars, small shops, and single family dwellings all.

Several industrial cities are being developed near Amman, most important being Mushatta, poised at turning this once sleepy village into a global economic powerhouse.

West Amman, however, is less densely populated and more scenic. It is also the more prosperous part of Amman, with much of the city's economic activity being centered in West Amman. Most of the city's 5-star and 4-star hotels are located in West Amman. Important districts include Shmeisani and Abdali, the main economic centres of Amman, Abdoun, the up-scale residential district, and Jabal Amman, one of Amman's historic districts. A large contrast exists between the more affluent districts of West Amman and the lower class districts of East Amman.

Amman has a very large expatriate population, finding itself a haven for refugees seeking political asylum. Iraqis, Palestinians, Lebanese, and Armenians are among the many different expatriate populations currently residing in Amman. most guest workers are Egyptians, Syrians, and South East Asians. Many Westerners currently reside in Amman as many international organizations and diplomatic missions have regional offices in Amman.

New projects and proposals in and around the city include:

• TAJ Mall is envisioned to primarily be an up-scale retail and lifestyle development consisting of a multi purpose facility catering tor a wide spectrum of tenants with the main objective of entertaining answering clients through a pioneering approach and diversified services including cinemas, advanced arcade centres, retail outlets, food courts, kids zones, restaurants and cafes in addition to retail stores and a large supermarket. With the investment of more than 130 million Jordanian Dinars Taj Mall will be Jordan’s newest development combining a unique blend of architectural design and innovative facilities. Taj Mall is designed by the world known American F+A design consultants which has a recognizable portfolio in the USA and the rest of the world, such as the Fashion Island in California and Mall of the Emirates.
• The Abdali Downtown project: this new development in the heart of Amman is among the largest projects under construction in the kingdom, and is a mixed-use development consisting of retail, outdoor shopping and restaurants, residential and office buildings. The master plan includes a large public green park, along with an outdoor pedestrian strip. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by 2010.
• The construction of the American University of Jordan.
• The construction of the Jordan Gate Towers near the 6th Circle, which is nearly completed, is being funded by Bahraini and Kuwaiti entrepreneurs. The two identical skyscrapers will house office buildings and a five star hotel.
• Bönyan city, which will consist of 5 new skyscrapers that will house apartments and offices
• The Heights Tower, consisting of 35 floors, will house apartments and it is currently under construction.
• Sky Tower, a residential tower consisting of 30 floors, is under construction.
• Amman Financial Tower, consisting of around 60 floors, is under construction.
• Betina City consists of 3 central skyscrapers, a mega-mall, a suspended river, and 3 additional towers.
• Sanaya Amman, two identical 65 floor buildings connected by a pedestrian walkway that will house the world's highest swimming pool. This residential twin tower project is being built in Abdoun by Limitless.
• The Abdoun suspended bridge, which spans Wadi Abdoun. This recently completed project reduces congestion in Wadi Abdoun and creates a new highway link between West and South Amman.
• The $700 million expansion of Queen Alia International Airport increasing capacity from 3.5 million to 9 million in the first phase and 12 million in the second phase.
• Multi-billion dollar Wadi Amman Regeneration Project. This project will completely revamp the old downtown and restore it to its previous prominence. It will also revitalise the entire area by attracting affluent Ammanis to settle and shop here.
• The Jordan Twin Towers, which are to be constructed by the Nuqul Group, and will be 40 stories high each. Completed in 2008
• Al Andalucia, being constructed near Amman. This project will include over 600 villas, and consists of many facilities such as spas, fitness and health centres, swimming pools, and a recreation area which has been completed by 2008.
• A proposed Amman World Trade Centre, which will consist of 33 floors.
• Amman Gardens which is a high-end residential suburb
• Ähl Al Âzm, a $1 billion city near Queen Alia International Airport, will be built in several phases with a total of about 16,000 residential units and 800 offices. The city will be connected by rail to Amman. The residential city will mostly be inhabited by low and middle income families.
• A massive new Royal Jordanian headquarters.

These projects, along with the boom in the Jordanian real estate market and the construction of numerous other projects, are resulting in a huge boom in terms of development, both in the city of Amman and in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as a whole.

Further information: List of tallest buildings in Amman

East Amman is the historic city centre. Eastern Amman is more traditional and older than the newer West. Small shops and single family houses are dominant in East Amman's landscape. East Amman is the hub for the capital's historic sites and cultural activities.

West Amman is the current economic city centre, and is the modern, stylish extension of Amman. Malls, shopping centres, expensive hotels, bars and international restaurants mark West Amman as one of the most liberal and modern cities in the world. West Amman has a rapidly growing pub culture and expanding high-end night-life scene. Elegant tree lined boulevards with villas and expensive apartment and office buildings dominate the city's character. Massive new high rise projects are transforming the capital into a regional business hub.

Education

In 2010, There were as many as 14 universities in Amman. University of Jordan is the largest university in Jordan, Philadelphia University was ranked as the largest private university,

• Al-Ahliyya Amman University [4]
• Amman Arab University [5]
• Applied Science Private University [6]
• Middle East University [7]
• Arab Open University [8]
• Arab Academy for Banking & Financial Sciences, Amman [9]
• Al-Isra University [10]
• German-Jordanian University [11]
• Jordan Academy of Music [12]
• New York Institute of Technology, Jordan [13]
• Institute of Banking Studies: Amman Branch [14]
• Princess Sumaya University for Technology [15]
• Petra University [16]
• Queen Noor Civil Aviation Technical College [17]
• Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan [18]
• Al Quds College [19]

Culture

A historic building in Jabel Webdeh

A Moabite sarcophagus in Jordan Archaeological Museum

King Abdullah I Mosque, One of the most famous modern structures in Amman.

Amman is commonly known to be one of the most liberal cities in the Middle East and Eurasia, and one of the most "westernised" cities in the region, ahead of places like Cairo or Damascus. Freedom of worship is a long standing tradition of Jordan. The Jordanian media is fairly unrestricted compared to elsewhere in the region. Jordan has no laws forcing women or men to dress in a particular way. 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 whom 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.

Numerous cultural centers can be found throughout Amman, most notably the Al Hussein Cultural Centre which contains over 30,000 books. Numerous IT and library centres can be found throughout the city.

Sports

Amman-based football clubs Al-Wihdat and Al-Faisaly have won the national league several times

The 2007 Asian Championships in Athletics and 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in the city.

Amman hosts the Jordan Rally, which form part of the FIA World Rally Championship, becoming the biggest sporting event held in Jordan ever. Amman also hosts the Sama Tournament Which is a part of the Trillium Championship.

Media

Most Jordanian newspapers and news stations are situated in Amman. Most Jordanian daily newspapers are published in Amman such as Alghad, Alrai, Ad-Dustour, and the The Jordan Times. In 2010, Alghad newspaper was ranked as 10th most popular newspaper in the Arab World by Forbes Middle-East magazine. Al-Arab Al-Yawm is the only daily pan-Arab newspaper in Jordan. Amman is also a popular entry point for journalists entering the region to broadcast breaking news from volatile nations like Iraq and the Palestinian territories.

The Jordan Media City, established in 2001, is the first of its kind in the region and plans to make Jordan the regional hub of communications. It now transmits over 120 channels and still grows. Most channels are not Jordanian based, and the government still possess restrictions on Jordanian based channels which makes it hard to open new Jordanian television channels. Although not as popular as Beirut or Cairo, many Jordanian singers work out of Amman.

Tourism

Ommayed Palace on the summit of Citadel Hill

The King Hussein Mosque

Much of Amman's tourism is focused in the older downtown area, which is centered around the old souk (a colorful traditional market) and the King Hussein Mosque. the main touristic sites in the city are:

• The downtown area (known locally as al-Balad) has been completely dwarfed by the sprawling urban area that surrounds it. Despite the changes, much remains of its old character. Jabal Amman is a known touristic attraction in old Amman, the capital's greatest souks, fine museums, ancient constructions, monuments, and cultural sites are found in Jabal Amman.
• The Citadel hill of Amman, known as Jabal al-Qal'a, is home to the Temple of Hercules which is said to have been constructed under the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius who reigned from 161-180 AD, is similar to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. It has been inhabited for centuries, important as a military and religious site. It dates back to Roman and Byzantine times, and later work was carried out in the early Islamic era. Remains unearthed at the northern and eastern ends of the Citadel, possibly date back to the Bronze Age.

• The Roman forum and the Roman theatre — the largest theatre in Jordan — with room for 6,000 spectators. Thought to have been built between 138 and 161 AD by the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, it is constructed into the side of the mountain and is still used for sports displays and cultural events.

Amman is also home to some of the grandest mosques in the Middle East, although they compare less favorably to the ones to be found in Istanbul, Turkey. The newest of these is the enormous King Abdullah I Mosque, built between 1982 and 1989. It is capped by a magnificent blue mosaic dome beneath which 3,000 Muslims may offer prayer. The most unusual mosque in Amman is the Abu Darweesh Mosque atop Jabal Ashrafieh (the highest point in the city). It is covered with black and white checkered pattern and is unique to Jordan. It is visible from quite some distance. In contrast, the interior is totally free of the black and white scheme. Instead, there are light colored walls and Persian carpets. This religious building was erected by one of Amman's Circassians minority.

Amman is also home to many jewelers and souvenir shops for citizens and tourists alike. Amman is also a major destination for foreign students seeking study in Arabic. Amman's world-class hospitals are frequent destinations for those who seek medical treatment.

The city’s culinary scene has expanded from its famous shwarma stands and falafel joints to embrace many popular Western restaurants and fast-food outlets like McDonald's and T.G.I. Friday's, a host of swank Asian fusion restaurants, intimate French bistros such as La Maison Verte and authentic Italian trattorias.

There are numerous nightclubs and bars across the city especially in West Amman. Modesty in dress for men and women is greatly relaxed and low-cut shirts, tank tops and short-skirts are becoming commonplace. Abdoun Circle (not one of the eight) is a major center of the city’s night life where the chicest clubs maintain a strict “couples only” policy, meaning no unescorted men. The night-life scene evolves so quickly that hot spots open and close almost before they can be published in magazines and tourist guide books.

As well as the wide range of drinking and dancing venues on the social circuit of the city's affluent crowd, Amman has much cultural entertainment to indulge in like the annual Amman Summer Festival and Souk Jara.

A new construction project in Abdali is planned to transform Amman into a more desirable place for investment. Valued at more than US $5 Billion, the Abdali project is planned to create a new visible center for Amman and act as the major business district for this ever-thriving city. the entire project is projectyed to be finished by 2015.

Amman is an emerging hub for Persian Gulf vacationers who come to take advantage of the mild weather and liberal atmosphere during the summer. Over a million visitors from the affluent Persian Gulf stay in Amman for the summer annually. The summer of 2009 brought approximately 2.5 million Arab visitors to Jordan, mainly from the Persian Gulf.

Wakalat Street

700,000 vehicles arrive in Jordan every summer clogging up Jordanian highways and streets, especially in Amman. Persian Gulf vacationers, Jordanian expatriates, and regional tourists arrive in Jordan by car every summer to escape the hot summers common in the Persian Gulf and to enjoy a more moderate climate.

Terrorist attacks are extremely rare in Amman, the last reported incident was in 2006, when three tourists were injured with a white weapon during the Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Despite this attack, tourism in Amman continues on a daily basis, and the city's touristic locations are generally well policed. Given Jordan's location in a region that sees ongoing conflicts and violence, by statistics Amman remains a safe place. For example, despite this killing, petty crime in Amman is also at a smaller scale than in other cities with similar populations.

Shopping

Abdoun Mall, in Abdoun near the American Embassy

Shopping is continually becoming more popular in Jordanian culture and is very notable in the past five years, with huge mega malls popping up across Amman such as Mecca Mall, Abdoun Mall, Amman Mall, City Mall, Plaza Mall and Al Baraka Mall. Furthermore, two new malls are currently under development: Taj Mall in the affluent neighbourhood Abdoun and Abdali Mall in Al Abdali. The Wakalat Street (English: Agencies Street) is Amman's first pedestrian-only street and carries a lot of label name clothes. It is one Amman's most vibrant shopping districts. The Valley of the Orchards and Swéifieyé are known as the haven of the shopping and entertainment lifestyles of the city.

Nearby places of interest

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Amman is conveniently located for many Jordanian attractions favoured by tourists. It is a mere 45 minute trip by car to several interesting locations:

• The Baptism Site (Al-Maghtas in Arabic) on the Jordan River where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist
• Mount Nebo where, according to the Bible, Moses died
• The unique ultra saline waters of the Dead Sea, home to many first-rate resorts
• Jerash, a city of the Decapolis and considered one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East
• The Hellenistic ruin of Qasr al Abd, in the near-by valley of Wadi Al Seer
• Petra, two hours from Aqaba, is one of the most breathtaking places in the world (one of the 7 new wonders of the world)
• The beaches at Aqaba, a shipping port and Jordan's only access to the Red Sea. Just about three of four hours from Amman by car or 350 km (220 mi) away. You can also take a plane on Royal Jordanian from Queen Alia Airport to King Hussein International Airport (Aqaba Airport). The primarily industrial character of the town is mitigated by the fact that it is set between sprawling mountain ranges and boasts some of the finest coral reefs in the region.
• The unique geological rock formations of Wadi Rum. The colorful rocks are best viewed at sunset and located a half hour away from Petra. Wadi Rum has connections with T. E. Lawrence; consequently the movie Lawrence of Arabia filmed there for a number of scenes.
• `Iraq al Amir :`Iraq al Amir is situated in a lush, secluded wadi 24 km to the southwest of Amman. The area is generally known for Qasr al Abd (palace of the Slave), A building that dates from the Ammonite period. Originally two stories high and constructed of megalithic stones weighing from 15-25 tons each, it is the most striking Hellenistic monument that has survived on either side of the Jordan River

Notable residents

- Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.(from 1984- to 1987).

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Jordan

Twin towns — sister cities

Amman is twinned with:

Muscat, Oman (1986) Baku, Azerbaijan Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (1988) Cairo, Egypt (1988) Rabat, Morocco (1988) San‘a’, Yemen (1989) Islamabad, Pakistan (1989) Beijing, China (1990) Ankara, Turkey (1992) Khartoum, Sudan (1993)

Miami, United States (1995) Doha, Qatar (1995) Istanbul, Turkey (1997) São Paulo, Brazil, (1997) Algiers, Algeria (1998) Bucharest, Romania (1999) Nouakchott, Mauritania (1999) Tunis, Tunisia (1999) Sofia, Bulgaria (2000) Beirut, Lebanon (2000)

Pretoria, South Africa (2002) Tegucigalpa, Honduras (2002) Chicago, United States (2004) Genève, Switzerland (2005) Milan, Italy (2005) Calabria, Italy (2005) Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (2005) Moscow, Russia (2005) Central Governorate, Bahrain (2006) Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (2006) San Francisco, United States (2010)

See also

• List of tallest buildings in Amman
• Disi Water Conveyance Project

External links

• Template:Wikitravel
• Amman City Guide
• 360 degrees panorama from the Citadel Hill in central Amman
• Amman interactive map
• Amman Discussion Forum Template:Ar icon
• Amman photo Gallery
• Amman photo Slideshow
• WikiTravel WikiTravel - Petra
• Website for Amman's centennial celebrations telling the modern history of the city
• Jordan Times Urban Crossroads articles on Amman