By air
Amman (AMM), ~1 h
Middle East · Jordan
Jerash, Jordan
A Roman city of columned streets
Getting there
Best time to visit
March to May and September to November — mild
Don't miss
Hadrian's Arch
The Oval Plaza
The Temple of Artemis
The South Theatre
Things to do
The colonnaded street
The theatres
The summer festival
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Freedom's Falcon (Arabic Wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 2.5
What to pack
A sun hat
A quieter corner
The chariot re-enactments at the hippodrome
Questions travellers ask
When should I visit Jerash?
March to May or September to November, when it's mild — or in summer for the festival. Bring a sun hat.
What are the highlights of Jerash?
Hadrian's Arch, the Oval Plaza, the colonnaded street, the Temple of Artemis and the South Theatre — a Roman city of columned streets.
Is there anything special to catch at Jerash?
The chariot re-enactments at the hippodrome, Jerash's hidden gem.
How far is Jerash from the airport?
Fly into Amman (AMM), about 1 h away, and plan a Jordanian lunch into your day.
About Jerash
- Hills
Where it is
Jerash is a town in the hills of Gilead in northern Jordan, north of Amman, beside the stream the Romans called the Chrysorhoas, and home to one of the best-preserved Roman provincial cities anywhere.
History
Inhabited since prehistoric times, the city grew as Gerasa, one of the Decapolis, and flourished under Rome, which built the colonnaded streets, temples and theatres that survive; an arch marks the emperor Hadrian's visit in 129–130. It remained important under the Byzantines, with many churches, but declined after the earthquake of 749 and lay half-buried for centuries until excavations began in the 1920s.
People
Modern Jerash is a Jordanian market town built beside the ruins among olive groves, and Arabic is spoken. Each summer the Jerash Festival brings Arab and international music, poetry and dance to the ancient theatres.
Known for
- Hadrian's Arch
- The Oval Plaza and the colonnaded Cardo
- The Temple of Artemis
- The South Theatre
- The Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts
Did you know?
The Oval Plaza at Jerash, an unusual oval forum lined with Ionic columns, joins the sanctuary of Zeus to the city's colonnaded main street.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.