Which country's capital is Amman? Archaeological Museum of Jordan. Brief information about the location of the city

Amman is very different from its "metropolitan" Middle Eastern neighbors - Cairo or Damascus. This is not a great cultural center dating back thousands of years, where every stone breathes history. This is a modern Arab city that can become a great "breath" of fresh air after the musty antiquity of Syria or Egypt, or it can turn into a complete disappointment for tourists who do not want to see the expansion of European globalization to the ancient, powerful and mysterious East.

It is impossible to understand the soul of Amman without visiting its two parts. The first is Eastern Amman, conservative, Muslim, where the poor people roam the narrow streets, and Palestinian refugee camps are set up on the outskirts. The complete opposite is Western Amman with its comfortable quarters, trendy cafes and bars, impressive collections of art galleries, including contemporary art. In short, if you want to visit the capital of Jordan to walk through the medieval bazaars or enjoy the grandiose heritage of Islam, then you should not. Come to Amman to immerse yourself in the everyday life of a lively, modern, contrasting city that invariably welcomes its guests with warmth and oriental cordiality.

How to get to Amman

From Moscow Domodedovo to Amman three times a week (Tuesday, Friday, Sunday) operate direct flights "Es Seven" and "Royal Jordanian"; travel time - 4.5 hours, round trip ticket costs 480 USD. A more profitable option is to get with a change in Istanbul, Athens, Tel Aviv, Doha, Abu Dhabi or Dubai, but the minimum travel time is 6 hours. For such flights, you can choose "Turkish Airlines", " Aegean Airlines, Emirates, Flydubai, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and other carriers. Prices on the page are for December 2017.

From airport to city

Amman International Airport "Queen Alia" is located 32 km from the city. Most affordable way to get to the center - shuttle buses that run every half an hour between North bus station and main air gate country, on the road about 45 minutes.

It's faster and more comfortable to take a taxi. The trip will take 20-25 minutes and cost 20 JOD. Some taxi drivers try to deceive customers by indicating the cost either in JOD or in USD. Therefore, you need to negotiate immediately, or even better - write down the price on the sheet with the currency designation.

By bus

Often travelers come to Amman from other places in Jordan and Israel by bus. This mode of transport connects the capital with cities such as Petra, Aqaba, Irbid, as well as with the King Hussein Bridge, through which you can arrive in Jordan from Israel and Palestine. It takes about an hour to drive from the border to Amman.

• Do I need to get a visa to Jordan when flying to Aqaba via Amman
• How do buses run from Queen Alia Airport to Amman

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Transport

Public transport in Amman is a complex and extensive network of three types of buses: large, medium, reminiscent of our minibuses, and minivans. In addition, white Servees cars drive around the city - ordinary cars, which travel along predetermined routes and do not deviate from them: a distinctive and less expensive alternative to taxis.

It is usually difficult for travelers to use buses: transport stops at the request of passengers, signs are not translated into English, and flight numbers are in most cases missing. But the locals are happy to help tourists and suggest what to go on. You need to pay at the entrance, the money is placed in a special box next to the driver's seat, they don't give change.

The most convenient way to travel is by taxi. Cars of official carriers are painted gray and yellow, payment by meter. A trip around the city costs 20 JOD, but you must make sure that the meter is turned on and not give in to the driver's persuasion of a fixed price.

Tourists are not recommended to rent a car in Amman, as the traffic is too chaotic and poorly organized. However, rental services are presented in all their diversity, so if necessary, finding a car is not difficult.

Amman Hotels

In Amman, guests are waiting for several hundred hotels of different price categories: from very unpretentious hostels to truly luxurious oriental "palaces". Ethnic places are especially original, where the rooms themselves, halls, spa centers and beauty salons are decorated with gilding, brocade and carpets.

A little less often, apartments are rented out, but among them you can find worthy options. A bed in a hostel is offered for 5 JOD, a double room in a 3 * hotel costs 35 JOD, and for a five-star option you will have to pay 100-120 JOD per day.

The highest valued accommodation is along Al Hashemi and Al Rida Streets. Amman is considered a safe city, but it is more comfortable and quieter to stay in the center.

What to bring

Hand-embroidered interior fabrics are considered traditional souvenirs from Amman. Mostly there are images of folk ornaments and natural motifs. Girls are happy to buy original Arabic-style jewelry made of metal and stones. Salt-based cosmetics are very popular Dead Sea, which is located just 35 km from the city, as well as oils: olive, coconut and argan.

Almost every interior will fit metal vases and sand paintings. And relatives and friends will be happy with local sweets made from dried fruits, candied fruits and nuts. Gourmets can bring spices or coffee as a gift.

In Amman, it is customary to bargain, but only if it is not about gold jewelry, they are always set at a fixed price.

The "Golden Bazaar" (souk), located in the city center, is famous for its magnificent handicrafts made of gold and silver. The prices here are moderate, but you can always bargain. In addition, the city has many excellent shops with goods of local artisans: carpets and pillows, ceramics, inlay and embroidery. Do not be surprised if the owner of the shop offers a cup of coffee: such a friendly gesture is quite traditional for Jordanians.

Also in Amman there are several modern shopping centers: "Abdun Mall", "Amman Mall", "Mecca Mall" and "Zara".

Views of Amman

Cuisine and restaurants in Amman

Amman boasts a wide variety of restaurants ranging from national cuisine Middle East to European, fast food and chain cafes. Prices vary greatly, the most affordable food is Arabic and can be found everywhere. Dinner at good restaurant will cost 35 JOD per person.

Meat dishes contain lamb and chicken, rarely beef and never pork. Shaurma (shawarma) is made from lamb meat and wrapped in a flatbread. The best one can be found in the alley, in the Shawermat Reem tent, on 2nd Circle. This is very popular place and it's very cheap here. Rice and bread cakes are a typical side dish. A specialty Jordanian dish is "mansaf" made from lamb and rice and is eaten with the hands. They also love pea-based dishes: falafel, hummus, and full.

One of the most famous places Amman - Hashem restaurant located in the city center. You can eat here for no more than 1.50 JOD, which is very cheap compared to other restaurants. At the same time, the institution is one of the favorite places of the royal family. Nearby is Habeebah, where you can taste oriental sweets baklava, the national traditional dessert knafeh nabelseyyeh.

Guides in Amman

Entertainment and attractions in Amman

From the ancient Amman, only the citadel remained, towering over the city on the hill of Jabal al-Qalaa. Nearby are the ruins of the Umayyad palace park. Nearby - the ruins of a small Byzantine basilica, and about 100 m to the south - the remains of the Temple of Hercules, also known as the Great Temple of Amman.

12 km south of the city, on the top of a hill, is Kan Zaman - a restored complex of stables, storage and living quarters, which has become one of the most popular tourist places Amman. In Can Zaman you can find traditional dishes, the best handicrafts, smoke hookah and drink real Jordanian coffee. The valley of Wadi al-Sir, located 12 km west of the city, is one of the most beautiful places in Jordan. The road passes several small villages and reaches the caves of Iraq al-Emir (“caves of the prince”), and ends at the fortress of Qasr al-Abd (“Castle of the slave”).

Queen Alya Airport Street - the street along which you enter Amman from the airport - this is, in fact, the end of the Desert Highway - a route that runs through the whole country from Aqaba to the capital. Buses to the city center leave every half an hour, but the routes are all written in Arabic, without duplication in English language, therefore, after all, a more reliable transfer option is a taxi.

Like all taxi drivers on the planet, Jordanian taxi drivers from the airport charge the most "wild" prices - at least $ 30, that is, a dollar per kilometer. Some tourists do not hesitate and rent a car here (at the airport) for $ 8 per day, but then they suffer, looking for their hotel. The fact is that the names of streets and hotels often change, guidebooks simply do not have time to update information, the situation on the Internet is a little better.

History - from biblical times to the present day

Amman is a city with thousands of years of history. Here, polished stone tools with drilled holes dating back to the late Neolithic, dating back to the 9th millennium BC, have been found.

In biblical times, the city was called Rabbat-Ammon and was the capital of the kingdom of the Ammonites - the enemies of Israel. Two peoples - the Israelites and the Ammonites fought to the death even then. There was a time when the Assyrians captured the city, and Alexander the Great renamed it Philadelphia - "Brotherly Love".

At one time, Philadelphia was one of the administrative centers of the Nabataean kingdom. After the accession of the Nabataean kingdom to the Roman Empire, the city flourished, becoming one of the trading centers of the province of Arabia.

An interesting fact is that the name Amman was not given to the city by Muslims, but by the Orthodox rulers of the Hasanid dynasty, who ruled here under the protectorate of the Byzantine Empire in the 5th-7th centuries AD. Under the Umayyads, at the end of the 7th century, the city came under the rule of the Arab Caliphate.

The city fell into decay in the 8th century after several natural disasters and, for almost a millennium, remained an insignificant town of the Ottoman Empire. The new heyday of Amman was associated with the construction of a railway linking Damascus and Mecca. At the end of the 19th century, pilgrims and merchants reappeared in the city.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the population of the city reached 3,000 people, and after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the emergence of the Transjordan Emirate, Amman became its capital. In 1946, the Emirate became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. At present, the kingdom adheres to a peace-loving policy and even has joint economic projects with Israel.

Hotels and accommodation

Amman is the capital of a very significant kingdom in the Middle East, so there are hotels here worthy of hosting kings, and guest houses satisfying Arabic students.

Almost all global hotel chains are represented in Amman - five-star Kempinski hotels, Four Seasons, InterContinental - and many others. Even the Queen Alia airport hotel has four stars. In total, there are about three hundred hotels in the city. The Internet makes it possible for all guests of Amman to choose accommodation according to their taste, location and budget - a hotel, guest house or rent an apartment.

As of early December 2016, the cost of renting a modest one-bedroom apartment in the center of Amman is 300 dinars per month. This is almost half the price of renting a very modest apartment in Barcelona in summer season but not by the sea. The cost of living in a hotel, of course, depends on the number of stars and the time of arrival. In five-star hotels, there is no upper price limit, and in three-star hotels, in winter you can stay for about 4,000 rubles per day.

Attractions and nightlife

The historical and cultural attractions of Amman can be explored in two days. This is, first of all, the citadel - the central city fortress, the protection of the city in biblical times.

Very interesting place- Royal Automobile Museum. The father of the current king was, as was usual with the powerful of this world in the 20th century (remember L.I. Brezhnev and the Sultan of Brunei), a big fan of exclusive cars. All the cars that belonged to him are placed in the museum, which is very popular. The city has archaeological, historical, military, Islamic museums, National Gallery, the Center for Arabic Art and the Royal Cultural Centre.

In recent years, Europeans living in Jordan have noted that in big cities- Amman, Aqaba, Irbid - there is a rollback from traditional Muslim norms and an increase in interest in the Western way of life. More and more young people prefer evening prayers to spend time in nightclubs. Girls refuse closed clothes and try to look European. Demand boosts supply - Amman becomes one of the largest entertainment centers Middle East. Currently, the most popular nightclubs in Amman are Sekrab on Rainbow Street, G Club and Byblos.

shopping

For shopping Amman is quite a suitable place. Here they sell high quality gold under well-known brands cheaper than in Europe. For shopping of this kind, the Gold Souk on Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Street (aka Rainbow Street) is best suited.

There are many huge shopping centers in the city - Mecca Mall, City Mall, Amman Mall. It should be noted that the prices for branded items here will be higher than in Europe, so it is better to focus on souvenirs and goodies that can be bought at the market in the El Balad area, not far from the citadel. Here is something to see! Silver, Madaba mosaics, textiles, coffee of all varieties and crops, the best Jordanian dates in the world, sweets of all kinds and in any packaging.

Many dealers in large items - carpets, furniture - are ready to pack the goods and send them to anywhere in the world with a transport company, but you should always be careful in such matters. You need to be careful in the market, but in general, you can not be afraid of criminal situations in Jordan - very strict criminal legislation applies to local residents.

Where to go from Amman

Amman is good because it is a convenient base for excursions in all directions of the country. Western, northern and eastern tourist destinations almost equidistant from the capital, a little longer, but also richer southern route.

In the west, you can visit the Dead Sea and biblical places along the route Amman - Jordan River - Sowayma (Dead Sea) - Madaba (city of mosaics) - Mount Nebo (place of death of the prophet Moses) - Mukavir (fortress where John the Baptist was executed).

In the north, tourists are shown a well-preserved ancient city Jerash and the Arab fortress of Ajlun.

To the east, excursions to the Arab castles of the desert are organized. There are quite a few of them, moreover, the Arabian winds carry hundreds of thousands of tons of sand across the desert and in some places open up new cities, ruins and palaces completely unknown to science.

Each of these excursions usually takes one day. The longest and busiest route is the southern one. For 280 kilometers from Amman to Aqaba, you can see the castles of the crusaders El-Karak and Montreal, the cave of Lot, the ruins ancient city Um er Rasas, stop at the Mujib and Dana reserves, explore ancient Petra and the fantastic moonlit valley of Wadi Rum. The route ends on the Red Sea in the resort of Aqaba.

It is better to book an excursion at local travel agencies or private guides, many of whom are Russian-speaking. Tour operators in hotels usually charge double the price. Day trips for a group of 2-4 people will cost $ 90-120. In addition, you will additionally have to spend money on entrance tickets, lunch, tips for the driver and guide.

With single taxi drivers at Amman bus stations, you can bargain cheaper - for $ 50-70. Bus trips around the country are possible and cost about $ 10, but the bus service is not very reliable and regular, so we do not recommend it for excursions.

Precautionary measures

Jordan is a very tolerant country. Both the government and residents are well aware that tourism is a significant part of the country's income, so they try to perceive the unusual behavior of guests indulgently. But, nevertheless, Islamic traditions are very strong and, we believe, indestructible in this country, so we strongly recommend that you do not offend the religious feelings of Muslims, do not wear too short clothes, do not drink alcohol and do not smoke in public places.

The country's climate is changeable - daily temperature drops can be up to 30 degrees Celsius. Any excursion requires preparation - you need to stock up on water and hats, have change dinars, know at least a few words in English (ideally - in Arabic). The main advantage of a tourist is attention and common sense - you need to protect yourself from the sun, always show respect for the interlocutor and do not be shy to ask. Take care of yourself!

Built during the reign of Antony Pius (138-161 AD), it does not cease to amaze with its size even now. The amphitheater, designed for 6,000 visitors, is carved into the rock on the northern side of the hill, where a huge cemetery used to be. The location on the north side was not chosen by chance, in this case the sun's rays do not prevent people from contemplating the spectacle from their seats. A secret tunnel dug deep underground connects the ancient amphitheater with the Citadel. At one time, it served as a corridor for noble persons who wished to arrive at a performance at any time and at the same time remain safe.
The building has been preserved in excellent condition, so its stone bowl is successfully used for theatrical and musical performances to this day.
Address: Old Town, Amman, Jordan. A visit to a favorite place of tourists for a foreigner will cost only 1 dinar, that is, almost 1.5 dollars or 1 euro. For locals, visiting is free, so many residents spend free time right here.

The rock tomb, highly revered among Muslims, is located on the southern outskirts of the capital of Jordan in the tract of El-Rajib. According to the Christian version of the legend, the Lord protected the youths from persecution for their faith, putting them to sleep for several centuries in a cave, and awakened them during the heyday of Christianity.
In Muslim mythology, Ashab Al-Kahf, translated as “those in the cave,” are young boys who hid in a cave with a dog in order to maintain faith in the one God during persecution. The name of the dog - Kitmir - began to perform a certain magical function. For example, in many Muslim countries it is customary to inscribe this name on messages in order to protect them from loss. The "cave of the sleepers" is a "room" carved into the rock, according to appearance reminiscent of a Roman burial chamber with sarcophagi and deep niches on opposite sides of the entrance. In one of these niches there is a small glazed window through which you can see seven skulls, the bones of youths and the remains of a dog. Stone sarcophagi are equipped with typical Roman ornaments (multipetal rosette, garland, twisted ribbon), and adornments, ceramics and tools found during excavations stand nearby. Women can visit the necropolis only in clothes covering their arms and legs and with their heads covered. Address: Ahl al-Kahf Street | Abu Aland, Amman, Jordan. The cave is open daily from 8:00 to 17:00. The entrance is free.

This is the only one of the ancient palaces of the desert, which has the appearance of a fortress, located in eastern Jordan. If necessary, it could accommodate about 400 people. Since the researchers did not find signs of long-term residence, the version remains logical that this place was a fortified residence, a symbol of the power of the caliph and served for negotiations with the leaders of the nomadic tribes of the desert, and was never used for protective purposes. But regardless of the purpose for which Qasr Harana was built, thanks to its skillful restoration, it is considered the most photogenic Desert Castle. The building, consisting of two tiers, contains 61 rooms. In plan, the castle is a square with a side length of 35 meters, and the towers protruding from the walls in semicircles confirm the ancient Roman architectural style. In a cozy courtyard, extraordinary calmness reigns, which is not disturbed even by a slight breath of wind. And the huge rooms at the arched entrance, apparently, served as stables. In the center of the courtyard there is a reservoir typical of the area, which was used to collect rainwater. Although construction work was completed in the distant 710, the castle has been remarkably preserved. One of the earliest Islamic era forts was listed in 1985 world heritage UNESCO. Address: Amman, Jordan. Entry to the castle is free.

25 km from the city of Madaba in the western part of the country is the largest balneological resort Jordan - Zarqa Main. Incredibly popular with travelers and Jordanians themselves are these thermal springs, the healing properties of which were known back in the era of Byzantium and Ancient Rome. According to legend, King Herod the Great of Judea dipped into these waters. Hot jets like picturesque waterfalls, fall from a height of several tens of meters have a temperature of about +63? They perform an effective and pleasant massage of the whole body. And the natural steam room, that is, a cave where the beating from under the rocks hot water, saturates the jet-smoothed cave with steam, provides a full range of natural “spa treatments”.

Zarka-Main has 65 cold and hot underground springs with different types healing water. Merging together, they form a small river that flows into the Dead Sea and acts as a "health bath" in the fresh air for local residents. Water render therapeutic effect on the whole body, diseases are successfully treated gastrointestinal tract and the cardiovascular system. Near the springs there is a relaxation and health center, which provides for the reception of clients with various interests, ailments and financial capabilities. You can get here on your own in a rented car or on fixed-route taxi along the highway that connects Amman, Madoboy and international Airport Amman with the coast of the Dead Sea.

Unlike many other attractions in Jordan, this mosque is not at all old. Built between 1982 and 1989 in memory of King Abdullah I, it is the only mosque in Amman open to non-Muslims. This large-scale building can accommodate 10,000 worshipers (including the courtyard, which is designed for 3,000 parishioners) and covers an area of ​​18,000 square meters. At the base of the building lies a polygon, and its top is crowned with a huge blue dome with a diameter of about 35 meters. This color was not chosen by chance - it symbolizes the sky, the golden lines on the dome are the sun's rays that illuminate the 99 names of Allah. On it, as well as on the three rings of a huge chandelier, entries from the Koran are quoted. On the territory of the mosque is the Museum of Islam, as well as the Royal Museum. For women, a women's department was built to the right of the mosque, accommodating up to 500 worshipers at the same time. Also, before entering, the fair sex will be asked to cover their hair and put on a dress (abaya). Address: Sulayman Al Nabulsi, Amman, Jordan. Working hours: every day from 8:00 to 11:00; from 12:30 to 14:00, and on Fridays from 8:00 to 10:00. The entrance fee is 2 dinars, which is equal to just over 2.5 dollars or 2 euros.

Another "young" religious landmark of Jordan - the Abu Dervish Mosque built in 1961 rightfully deserves the attention of tourists. The structure was erected on Jebel Ashrafi - one of the seven hills of the capital in honor of the late King Hussein. The unmistakable alternating layers of white and black stone are a sign of the Levantine architecture chosen by Abu Dervish when designing. The luxurious interior of the mosque is emphasized by openwork carvings with exquisite floral ornaments. From the square on which the mosque is located, opens great view throughout Amman. Address: Al Taj, Amman, Jordan.

Useful information for tourists about Amman in Jordan - geographical position, tourist infrastructure, map, architectural features and attractions.

Amman is the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, established in 1946. The city is located 35 km northeast of the Dead Sea, 110 km east of the Mediterranean Sea and 65 km east of Jerusalem.

Named Rabbath-Ammon in 600 BC, the city changed many names, passing from hand to hand from the Lagids to the Seletsides. Amman was rebuilt by Ptolemy II, who named it Philadelphia, which became one of the ten cities of the decapolis.

Later, Amman was rebuilt by the Romans, flourished throughout the Byzantine era and became an important prosperous city at the crossroads caravan routes. Now Amman is a wealthy city spread over the Seven Hills.

Amman is a "city of contrasts", in which the old and the new are closely intertwined. Modern buildings, hotels, restaurants, galleries and shops of the business center coexist with traditional coffee shops and craft workshops. On every corner there are evidence of the ancient past of the city: the ruins of an ancient temple, the Umayyad palace, a Byzantine church, a Roman amphitheater.

From the Greco-Roman civilization, there is a delightful amphitheater in the heart of the old quarter of the "City Center" and the ruins of the Roman temple of Hercules of the 2nd century. From the Christian civilization of the Byzantine era, the Citadel remained, adjacent to the pompous palace of the Governor, built at the beginning of the Ommeyad era (VIII century AD).

Amman is also home to the thriving Oriental Markets Quarter, the Jordanian Folklore Museum with an interesting collection of nomadic life, and the folk traditions, which presents various aspects of the life of former Bedouins.

Amman is often called the "White City" because of its unusual whiteness - the result of the use of white limestone in construction. Construction is proceeding quite quickly, and most importantly, it is difficult to find two identical buildings, so new areas of Amman, such as Abdoun, are like an architectural museum under open sky. Houses in the city are picturesquely located on the slopes of the hills. There were originally seven. Now the sprawling city occupies at least fifteen.

The "Golden Souq" (Souk), located in the center of Amman, is famous for its magnificent handicrafts made of gold and silver. The prices here are moderate, but you can always bargain. In addition, the city has many excellent shops with goods produced by local artisans: carpets and pillows, ceramics, inlay and embroidery.

Amman is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. It became the capital of Jordan only in the 20th century, but it has been a key place for the history of this country from the beginning of its existence.
In the XIII century. BC. the Ammonites (Ammonites) built here the city of Rabbat-Ammon, or Ammon, repeatedly mentioned in the Old Testament. The Old Testament calls the Ammonites a tribe descended from Ammon, Lot's son by his own daughter. Judging again by archaeological materials, the Ammonites were Semites: the language in the surviving inscriptions on the stones is very close to Hebrew. The chief passed through Ammon trade route linking Egypt and cities Arabian Peninsula which was the main source of prosperity for the city. Around 1300 BC. e. the territory to the east of the Jordan, corresponding to modern Jordan, including Ammon, was captured by the Canaanite tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of the tribe of Menashe. In the period from 585 BC. e. and before the Ptolemaic era there is no written evidence of the history of Amman, according to indirect information, it was conquered - successively - by the Assyrians, Persians and Macedonians. King of Egypt Ptolemy II Philadelphos (308-245 BC) renamed Ammon to Philadelphia. In 106, most of the territory of modern Jordan became the province of the Roman Empire of Stony Arabia, and Philadelphia entered the Decapolis (10 ancient cities, among which Damascus and Amman were most developed). In this era, Philadelphia was replanned, temples, baths, amphitheaters appeared, the streets were paved. During the Byzantine period, Philadelphia was the seat of Christian bishops. In 614, the city was captured by the Sassanid Persians, who returned the name Amman, consonant with Ammon, to the city. In the VII-IX centuries. Amman was part of the Arab Caliphate, in 661-750. the city is the center of the Damascus province of the Arab Umayyad Caliphate. After the collapse of the caliphate in the X century. It is part of various states of the Middle East, remaining for all of them an important center of trade and a crossroads of caravan routes. From 1516 until the end of the First World War in 1918, Amman was part of Ottoman Empire. Several strong earthquakes turned the city into a heap of ruins during this era; its population was insignificant, and so it remained until 1878, when the Ottomans began, under the guidance of German engineers, to build the Hijaz railway from Damascus to Medina. Amman, having become a junction station, begins to grow. In 1918, Jordan came under the British mandate, in 1921, at the initiative of the British, the emirate of Transjordan was created. Amman becomes its capital. On May 25, 1946, Transjordan gains independence, it is already called a kingdom, which in 1949 was renamed the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The population of Amman grew in the context of events taking place not only in Jordan, but also in nearby countries. After the Russian-Caucasian war of 1763-1864. many Circassians (Circassians), Kabardians, Abkhazians, Chechens, and also Armenians (the latter fled from Turkey) left their homeland and fled through Jordan. They laid the Hijaz railway, and after the completion of construction they remained in Amman, where they all began to be called generically - "Circassians". Their descendants live in Amman today. And the most most The population of the city is made up of Palestinian Arabs, also refugees from native land due to the Arab-Israeli wars of 1947-1949, 1956 and 1967. The third wave of refugees arrived in Amman from Kuwait after the war in 1991. After the invasion of Iraq by coalition forces in 2003, refugees from Iraq also settled in Amman. As a result, over the past 100 years, the population of Amman has grown 1000 times.
In today's turbulent Middle East, Amman remains an island of calm, although it is becoming increasingly difficult for him to maintain this image.
"White City" is the middle name of Amman, and there is no great exaggeration in this. Concrete walls, of course, have some grayish-yellowish tinge, but buildings finished with snow-white limestone (and there are many of them) maintain a reputation " white city”, especially when the sun is at its zenith. At sunset, they form the illusion of a mountain of gold bars. Many houses climb hills, from afar they seem to be multi-storey, but in fact they have 3-5-7 floors, and there are quite a few one-story ones. There are also skyscrapers that grew up in the late 20th - early 21st century in Amman. These are government offices, hotels, banks, business centers. The city of Amman has been growing very rapidly over the past two decades, statistics simply do not have time to correct the figures for its area and population. Until a few years ago, there were some differences between the city itself and the capital province. Today they are practically erased: Amman is turning into a metropolis before our eyes. According to forecasts, 6.5 million people will live here in 2025.

The reputation of the "golden mean" between the extremes of both Arabic and Western world the capital of the kingdom began to acquire from the middle of the 20th century, creating an equal balance between them. This is noticeable even purely visually, especially in the appearance and behavior of women. In the civilized sense, the city consists of two parts. In the neighborhoods united by the common name Balad, or Downtown, a patriarchal way of life is maintained: women wear exclusively national clothes, do not work, they only take care of the house and children, of which they have an average of 5-7. Women in the part of the city called West Amman work in banks and other offices, in medical centers, drive cars, wear European clothes and are in no hurry to get married: a career is more important, and when, closer to 30 years, they get married, they usually give birth no more than two children.
There are more and more medical centers in Amman - due to foreigners choosing this city for treatment because of natural resources close to the Dead Sea, highly qualified staff and prices lower than in neighboring Israel.
King Abdullah Bin al-Hussein, or Abdullah II (born in 1962), whose mother is an Englishwoman, encourages the fashion for the Western lifestyle by his example. This is the "King of the Special Forces", as supporters of traditional Muslim values ​​call him, not without sarcasm. He studied at Oxford and Georgetown, leads a secular lifestyle, in addition, he is also a parachutist and helicopter pilot, is fond of scuba diving, takes part in the rally. Naturally, he has the highest military rank - Field Marshal of the Armed Forces of Jordan. At the same time, Abdullah II is by no means a "hawk": he condemns Muslim religious extremism, supports the American policy of "war on terrorism". In November 2011, Abdullah II, the first of the Arab leaders, said that Hafiz Assad should leave the political scene.
The unrest of the Arab world did not bypass the capital of the usually calm Jordan. Inflation, corruption, and unemployment have been driving citizens to the streets since 2010. In September-November 2012, thousands of demonstrations against the abolition of fuel subsidies took place in Amman, which caused an increase in prices for gasoline (by 12%) and gas (by 53%). These demonstrations were no longer peaceful. Protesters blocked roads, set cars on fire, and police fired tear gas. The king patiently explains to his subjects that an increase in the price of fuel is inevitable, since the economic "holes" are a consequence of the "Arab spring". He completely changed the government. But the circle closes: inspired precisely by the “Arab spring”, the “Muslim brothers” demand not only a change in the cabinet of ministers, but also the overthrow of Abdullah II himself. Amman is getting more and more restless. What will happen next is still impossible to guess.

Amman

general information

Founding: circa 7250 BC
Capital: since 1921 (in 1921-1946 - administrative center Emirate of Transjordan).
Historical names: Rabbath-Ammon (XIII-VI centuries BC), or Rabbah (in the Russian translation of the Bible), Philadelphia (III century BC - VI century).

Administrative status: metropolitan province (muhavaza).

Administrative-territorial division: 9 districts (27 districts).

Languages: Arabic, for many residents the second language is English.

Ethnic composition: Jordanian Arabs - 35%, Arabs - immigrants from Palestine and other countries of the Middle East - 55%, immigrants from the Caucasus ("Circassians") - 8%, Kurds - 2%.
Religions: Islam (Sunni) - 92%, Christianity (mainly Orthodoxy - the Greek Orthodox Church, as well as Catholicism - the Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic Church) - 6%, Ismailis and followers of the Bahai religion - 2%.
Currency unit: Jordanian dinar.

River: Ez-Zarqa.

Major airport: Queen Alia International Airport.

Numbers

Area: 1680 km2.

Population: 2,419,000 (2012).
Population density: 1439.9 people / km 2.
Average Height above sea level: 773 m

Climate and weather

July average temperature:-26°C.

Average annual rainfall: 270 mm.

Economy

Handicrafts: textiles, woven carpets, ceramics, leather and wood products and jewellery.

Service sector: medical and banking services, trade, tourism.

Attractions

■ King Hussein Mosque(1924).
■ King Abdullah I Mosque(1989).
■ Abu Bakr Al Siddique Street(villas of the 20-30s, XX century).
■ Museums: Archaeological University of Jordan (gypsum figurines from the excavations in Ain Ghazal, the Qumran Scrolls - the world's oldest biblical texts and apocrypha, some of which came to Israel, and some are stored in this museum); anthropological University of Jordan; folklore and folk traditions, numismatics / Central Bank of Jordan, Royal Automobile, Children's, Military (Martyrs' Memorial), Postal; National Gallery fine arts(works by contemporary artists of the Arab world), art galleries Darat al-Funun and Aliya.
■ national park them. King Hussein, in it - the ethnographic Village of culture.
■ Around: 20 km to the north-west of the city of Salt (Ottoman-style buildings, the Archaeological Museum and Cultural Center with the school of crafts); southwest of the city - the Wadi Sher valley - the palace of Iraq al-Amir (the only Hellenistic palace that has survived in the Middle East); 33 km to the south - the city of Madaba (Medaba), mentioned in the Bible, is one of the centers of Christianity in the Middle East: the Church of St. George (VI century), the ruins of the Church of the Apostles (VI century), the Archaeological Park. 10 km west of Madaba is Mount Nebo (833 m), from which, according to the Bible, the Lord showed Moses the Promised Land, 45 km to the north is the Greco-Roman city of Jerash (one of the cities of the Decapolis).

Curious facts

■ Abdullah II is a fan of the television series Star Trek. In 1995, he made a cameo appearance in the Voyager series of the series. In addition, the king invests personal funds in the construction of an adventure park on the Jordanian coast in the theme of Star Trek. He uses his acting skills, making "going to the people", like the Baghdad caliph Harun al-Rashid from the collection of fairy tales "A Thousand and One Nights". To do this, he puts on shabby Bedouin clothes and sticks a long gray beard on himself. In Amman, many tales are told about how he “worked” in this form as a taxi driver, a nurse in a hospital, traded in the market, and once visited the tax office, standing in a long line. The servants did not recognize the monarch and were in a state close to fainting when they saw this humble visitor drive away from the building at the head of a cavalcade of royal cars.