Jordan Guide
Amman
Jebel al-Qal'a
Jebel al-Qal'a (Citadel Hill) Opening time: Sat– Thurs 8am–7pm, winter closes 4pm, Fri 10am–4pmhas been a focus for human settlement since the Paleolithic Age, more than 18,000 years ago. Unfortunately, when the Romans moved in to occupy the area, they cleared away whatever they found, including the remains of the Ammonite city of Rabbath Ammon, and chucked it over the side of the hill: Bronze Age, Iron Age and Hellenistic pottery shards have been found mixed up with Roman remains on the slopes below. Of the remains surviving today, the most impressive by far is a huge Umayyad palace complex on the upper terrace of the Citadel, dating from the first half of the eighth century. On the middle terrace below and to the south lies the Roman Temple of Hercules, its massive columns dramatically silhouetted against the sky. East of the temple, Roman fortifications protect the grassy lower terrace, which has no visible antiquities. The easiest way to reach the summit is by taxi (JD1 from Downtown). For the ambitious who prefer to walk, the twenty-minute ascent is extremely steep.