“Visited Jordan this week, so much to see and experience! We visited the site where John the Baptist baptized Jesus, Petra and all its fascinations, camels, and the spot where the big boulder comes rolling out of Indiana Jones. So much history there in the ‘Rose City,’ voted one of the 7 new wonders of the world. It takes 3 days to really see it all, we only spent 3 hours. Put it on your must see list if you haven’t already!” — Oprah Winfrey, March 2023
Petra Witnessed 25% Rise in Visits in September
A total of 967,833 guests of various nationalities have visited the rose-red city of Petra in the first nine months of the year, making the city close to receiving one million visitors in one year for the second time after 2019. According to the statistics by the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA), the number of visitors in the January-September period increased by 71 per cent compared with the same period of 2022, when the city welcomed 564,566 visitors, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
See the Ancient Amman Citadel Roman Ruins in the Heart of the Capital
Jordan is one of the most visitor-friendly and remarkable countries to visit in the Middle East. The country boasts many overlooked Roman ruins (such as those at Jerash) and the ancient rock-hewn city of Petra built by the ancient Nabataeans. At the Citadel of Amman in the heart of the capital city of Amman, visitors can also find Roman ruins. The Citadel of Amman demonstrates just how ancient some of the attractions in Jordan are. Jordan has been ruled by ancient Moabites and Ammonites, the Nabataeans, Romans, Arabs, the Crusaders (see the impressive Crusaders castle of Kerak), and many more.
Old Testament Sites: More Than Just a Chronicle of Faith
The Old Testament is a tapestry of stories that transport readers to another era, to lands shaped by divine interventions and legendary leaders. Set against a backdrop of eternal beauty, each landscape is a tangible step back in time, a place where the biblical world unfurls before your eyes. Even in places that may seem remote, the significance of ancient prophets and their timeless truths and lessons is ever present. Navigating these captivating locales, visitors can deeply immerse themselves in the stories of the Old Testament.
Jordan, host to movies from Dune to Lawrence Of Arabia, has officially opened its first purpose built film and TV studio complex, Olivewood Film Studios. Located 15 minutes outside the center of the capital city of Amman, the studio launched with King Abdullah II, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Princess Rym al-Ali in attendance. The facility, which hopes to attract large scale productions, comprises two 1,500m² (16,145 sq ft) soundstages and a 1,000m² (10,764 sq ft) mill, and a leveled backlot of 68,000m² (731,946 sq ft), 4,000m² (43,056 sq ft) basecamp area, on-site canteen, parking for 95 cars, and a dedicated space for technical vehicles.
Architect Abeer Seikaly Inspired by 'Silent' Designers of Bedouin Tents
Over the past five years, Jordanian Palestinian architect, artist and cultural producer Abeer Seikaly has been working closely with Bedouin women of the Howeitat tribe in Al-Jafr within Jordan’s Badia desert landscape to incorporate their knowledge of ancient styles of weaving into her designs. She has described the women as the “silent architects” behind “Beit Al-Sha’ar” — literally “House of Hair” or Bedouin tent — and regards the gradual loss of their traditional craftsmanship knowledge and heritage as a “waste of valuable economic potential.”
Jordan Submits "Inshallah a Boy" for Consideration at the 96th Academy Awards
The film is produced (and co-written) by Imaginarium Films’ award-winning Jordanian producer Rula Nasser, whose credits include THE ALLEYS, and HOLY SPIDER, and stars Muna Hawa, Haitham Al-Omari, Salwa Nakkara, Yumna Marwan, Mohammad AI-Jizawi and Eslam Al-Awadi. It tells the story of a young widow, Nawal, who is in danger of losing hers and her daughter’s home. Nawal is trapped and deprived of options, but she decides to fight back.
Jordan Taking Part in International Digital Heritage Project
Reza Al-Khawalda, president of the Jordanian Society for Scientific Research, said Jordan is currently participating in the Mediterranean Information and Communication Technology Heritage Platform, alongside six other countries, which aims to create digital products that provide customers with diverse and interesting experiences from a distance without physically being present at the site.
These digital technologies are also used to register and gather information on all archaeological sites in one place. The number of discovered archaeological sites in the kingdom has reached 100,000, with 15,000 of them registered.
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The rolling desert dunes of Wadi Rum. The buoyant, restorative waters of the Dead Sea. The millennia-old majesty of Petra. And oooh, the shawarma. For ancient history, "Are we still on Earth?” views, and all things hummus, Jordan is your jam.
Biblical and Historic Jordan is jam-packed with visits that appeal to travelers with a particular interest in ancient times. Each day reveals more about the long and sacred history of this amazing nation.
Travel to the ‘Rose City’ of Petra, the highlight on this Jordan trip. But there’s more to discover as you learn about Jordanian culture with the Khzoz family, have dinner with a Bedouin tribe and spend a soulful night gazing at the clear night’s sky when you stay in Wadi Rum desert.
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