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For other meanings, see Amman (disambiguation) and Ammann.
Amman
عمان
Flag of Amman
Flag
Location of Amman within Jordan.
Location of Amman within Jordan. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern
Country Jordan
Governorate Capital Governorate
Government
 - Mayor Omar AlMaani
Elevation 773 m (2,356 ft)
Population (2005)[1]
 - Total 2,125,400
1. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern |||}The country of Jordan is divided into 12 Governorates ( Muhafazah) Officially known as Muhafazat al-Asima ( Arabic محافظة العاصمة English translation The Capital Governorate) Amman Governorate A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Population refers to Greater Amman
Website: http://www.ammancity.gov.jo

Amman (pronounced [ɑˈmɑːn]), sometimes spelled Ammann (Arabic عمان ʿAmmān), is the capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a city of 2,125,400 inhabitants (2005 estimate), and the administrative capital and commercial center of Jordan. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Hashemite is the Latinate version of the Arabic: هاشمي ( Transliteration: Hāšimī and traditionally refers to those belonging to the Banu Hashim Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern It is also the largest city in Jordan. It is the capital city of Amman Governorate. Officially known as Muhafazat al-Asima ( Arabic محافظة العاصمة English translation The Capital Governorate) Amman Governorate

Contents

History

The Roman Amphitheatre in downtown Amman
The Roman Amphitheatre in downtown Amman

Throughout history, Amman has been inhabited by several civilizations. The first civilization on record is during the Neolithic period, around 8500 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. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos ' Ain Ghazal is a Neolithic site located in North-Eastern Jordan, on the outskirts of Amman.

In the 13th century BC Amman was called Rabbath Ammon or Rabat Amon by the Ammonites (רַבַּת עַמּוֹן, Standard Hebrew Rabbat ʿAmmon, Tiberian Hebrew Rabbaṯ ʿAmmôn). Ammon or Ammonites ( also referred to in the Bible as the "children of Ammon" were a people (also known from Assyrian and other records living east Tiberian Hebrew is an extinct (yet very well documented Oral tradition of pronunciation for ancient Hebrew, especially the Hebrew of the Tanakh, that was It was later conquered by the Assyrians, followed by the Persians, and then the Greeks. The Assyrians are an Ethnic group whose origins lie in what is today Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the Hellenic ruler of Egypt, renamed it Philadelphia. Ptolemy II Philadelphus ( Greek:, Ptolemaĩos Philádelphos, 309 BC&ndash246 BC was the king of Ptolemaic Egypt from 283 BC to 246 BC The city became part of the Nabataean kingdom until 106 AD when Philadelphia came under Roman control and joined the Decapolis. The Nabataeans ( Arabic: الأنباط, Al-Anbāṭ) were an ancient Semitic people Arabs of southern Jordan, Canaan The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Decapolis ( Greek: deka, ten polis, city was a group of ten cities on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire in Jordan

In 324 AD, Christianity became the religion of the empire and Philadelphia became the seat of a bishopric during the beginning of the Byzantine era. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. 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). A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous 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. Circassians is a term derived from the Turkic Cherkess ( Çerkes) and is not the self-designation of any people 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. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings History A railway had been suggested in 1864 to relieve the suffering of the hajis on their forty day journey through the wilderness of Midian the Nafud and the Hejaz Mountains Medina mɛˈdiːnə (المدينة المنورة ælmæˈdiːnæl muˈnɑwːɑrɑ or المدينة ælmæˈdiːnæ also transliterated into English as The Hajj (حج is a pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world

In 1921, Abdullah I chose Amman as seat of government for his newly-created state, the Emirate of Transjordan, and later as the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Abdullah I bin al-Hussein King of Jordan (1882 – July 20 1951 was born in Mecca, Ottoman Empire, (in modern-day Saudi Arabia) as ( Arabic An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Arab Monarch styled Emir. The Emirate of Transjordan ( Arabic: ar إمارة شرق الأردن) was a former Ottoman territory incorporated into the British Mandate of Palestine 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 1948, when the population expanded considerably due to an influx of Palestinian refugees from what is now Israel. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Amman has experienced exceptionally rapid development since 1952 under the leadership of two Hashemite Kings, Hussein of Jordan and Abdullah II of Jordan. Hussein bin Talal King of Jordan (حسين بن طلال Ḥusayn bin Ṭalāl) ( November 14, 1935 – February 7, 1999) was Abdullah II bin al-Hussein King of Jordan ( الملك عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين al-Malik ʿAbdullāh aṯ-ṯānī bin al-Ḥusayn born 30

In 1970, Amman was the site of major clashes between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Jordanian army. The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary Royal Jordanian Land Force is part of the Jordanian Armed forces (JAF Everything around the Royal Palace sustained heavy damage from shelling. Most of Amman suffered great damage from PLO rockets and the Jordanian army's shells.

The city's population continues to expand at a dizzying pace (fueled by refugees escaping the wartime events in the occupied territories and Iraq). Occupied territories is a Term of art in International law. In accordance with Article 42 of the Laws and Customs of War on Land (Fourth Hague Convention October For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The city received refugees from these countries on a number of occasions. The first wave of Palestinian refugees arrived from what is now Israel in 1948. Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn A second wave after the Six-Day War in 1967. Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt 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. A domestic worker, domestic, servingman, servingwoman, or servant is one who works and often also lives within the employer's household The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed 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. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia During the last 10 years the amount 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, shocking and angering the population of the peaceful city. Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 2005 Amman bombings were a series of coordinated bomb attacks on three Hotels in Amman, Jordan, on November 9, 2005. The Islamist organization, al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility. Islamism ( Islam + ism; Arabic: al-'islāmiyya) a set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only Al-Qaeda, alternatively spelled al-Qaida, al-Qa`ida or al-Qa`idah, ( Arabic:; ar-Latn ''al-qāʿidah'' Translation: The Despite the fact that the birthplace of since-killed terrorist leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is the town of Zarqa, less than 30 km (19 mi) from Amman. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (أبومصعب الزرقاوي, Abu Musab from Zarqa)) (October 30 1966 – June 7 2006 born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal Zarqa ( BGN: Az Zarqāʼ; local pronunciation ez-Zergā or ez-Zer'a) is a city in Jordan located to the northeast of Amman The sheer brutality of the attacks — they targeted, among other things, a Muslim wedding procession — caused widespread revulsion across the widest range of Jordanians. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion

Geography

Amman seen from SPOT satellite
Amman seen from SPOT satellite

Amman is located in a 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 or "mountain"). City of Seven Hills usually refers to Rome. There are many other cities claimed to be built on seven hills Amman, Jordan The main areas of Amman gain their names from the hills and mountains on whose slopes they lie.

Because of the cooling effects of its location on a plateau, Amman enjoys four seasons of excellent weather as compared to other places in the region. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting Summer temperatures range from 28 °C (82 °F) - 35 °C (95 °F), but with very low humidity and frequent breezes. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air In daily language the term "humidity" is normally taken to mean Relative humidity. Spring and fall temperatures are extremely pleasant and mild. The winter sees nighttime temperatures frequently near 0 °C (32 °F), and snow is known in Amman, as a matter of fact it usually snows a couple of times per year. "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. The yearly average number of days with rain is 5-45 and with snow it is 0-8. It typically will not rain from June to the beginning of September, with cloudy and blue skies prevailing. But lately it is starting to rain in April and the beginning of May. In fact about half the quantity of rain Amman and Jordan received in 2006 fell in April.

Climate

Weather averages for Amman (1976-2005)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 12. 2 (54) 13. 5 (56) 17. 0 (63) 22. 7 (73) 27. 6 (82) 30. 5 (87) 32. 1 (90) 32. 1 (90) 30. 5 (87) 26. 5 (80) 19. 7 (67) 14. 2 (58) 32. 1 (90)
Average low °C (°F) 3. 9 (39) 4. 5 (40) 6. 6 (44) 10. 2 (50) 14. 2 (58) 17. 5 (64) 19. 7 (67) 19. 4 (67) 17. 6 (64) 14. 5 (58) 9. 3 (49) 5. 5 (42) 3. 9 (39)
Rain Fall mm (inches) 60. Rain is Liquid precipitation. On Earth it is the condensation of atmospheric Water vapor into drops heavy enough to fall often making it to 0 (2. 4) 58. 5 (2. 3) 44. 0 (1. 7) 8. 3 (0. 3) 2. 8 (0. 1) 0. 1 (0) 0. 0 (0) 0. 0 (0) 0. 1 (0) 8. 3 (0. 3) 26. 2 (1) 50. 0 (2) 258. 3 (10. 2)
Source: [2] 2008-02-27

Transportation

See also: Transport in Jordan and List of roads in Amman

The city's largest airport, Queen Alia International Airport situated about 30 minutes south of Amman, is the major international airport for Jordan and the hub for Royal Jordanian, the flag carrier. Railways (2000 total 677 km narrow gauge (1050 m677 km Two connected but non-contiguously operated sections of the Hedjaz Railway The following is a list of roads streets and major thoroughfares in Amman, Jordan Queen Alia International Airport (مطار الملكة علياء الدولي transliterated: Matar al-Malikah 'Alya' ad-Dowaly is an Airport situated in An international airport is an Airport typically equipped with Customs and Immigration facilities to handle international flights to and from other An airline hub is an Airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination Royal Jordanian Airlines ( Arabic: الملكية الأردنية transliterated: al-Malakiyah al-Orduniyah is an Airline based in Amman A flag carrier refers to a Transportation company such as an Airline or Shipping company that is locally registered in a given Country The airport has three terminals, two passenger and one cargo, and in 2007 handled between 4 to 5 million passengers. An airport terminal is a building at an Airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from Airplanes The airport is undergoing expansion, including a new terminal costing $600M, that will allow the airport to handle over 9 million passengers. A new rail line being constructed will connect Queen Alia International with Raghadan, Mahatta, and Zarqa. Zarqa ( BGN: Az Zarqāʼ; local pronunciation ez-Zergā or ez-Zer'a) is a city in Jordan located to the northeast of Amman 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. Marka International Airport is a one-terminal airport situated in East Amman, Jordan.

The Hejaz 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. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. A pilgrim is one who undertakes a Pilgrimage, literally 'far afield' Mecca ˈmɛkə also spelled Makkah ˈmækə (in full Makkah Al-Mukarramah (Arabic mækːæ(t ælmʊkarˑamæ مكّة المكرمة, literally Honored Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel There are new projects that are being built to add more railines in the Kingdom, most of which will go through Amman.

Amman has a extensive highway system that links every part of the city to one another. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Before adding any more images to this * * page please do carefully consider * * whether they would be mere decoration * * or actually improve Its highways also link nearby cities such as Zarqa and Madaba. Madaba, مادبا, is the capital city of Madaba Governorate of Jordan, which has a population of about 60 The Amman-Zarqa highway become very congested with commuters at rush hour which is why a new commuter rail line is being constructed. Commuting is the process of Travelling between one's place of residence and regular place of work Rush hour at Shinjuku 02JPG|thumb|right|250px|Rush hour at Shinjuku Station, Yamanote Line]] A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which Commuter rail, regional rail or suburban rail is a Passenger rail transport service between a city center and outer suburbs and Commuter towns 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 are used to go from one section of Amman to another. A roundabout is a type of Road junction at which Traffic enters a one-way stream around a central island However, the city lacks an operable rail or metro system which causes severe congestion in the city, especially in old Amman, where its narrow streets cannot handle many people. A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway To add to the congestion, all the Kingdom's highways pass through Amman in some way intensifying traffic.

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 Raghadan (near the Roman Amphitheater in downtown). The King Abdullah I Mosque, built between 1982 and 1989 in Amman, Jordan. The 1952 Constitution provided for the establishment of the bicameral Jordanian National Assembly "Majlis al-Umma The city can suffer from considerable traffic congestion at peak hours, especially during summer months when affluent vacationers from the Gulf region summer in Amman to take advantage of its relatively mild weather. The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the Mahmoud Elrawagah

Economy

The old downtown of Amman
The old downtown of Amman

Amman is a regional hub in the communications, transportation, medical tourism, education, and investment. Medical tourism (also called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare is a term initially coined by travel agencies and the Mass media 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. Amman is a major tourist attraction in the country because most of the countries foreign tourists arrive in Jordan through Amman. Its construction boom is helping the real estate economy boom and its banking and finance sectors are also feeling the results of this massive economic growth in Jordan. All major highways of Jordan cross in Amman making the capital busy with freight trucks, buses and cars passing through the city.

Amman has both a modern and historic touch. Old Amman is filled with souks, or bazaars, small shops, and single family dwellings all crowded together. A souk (سوق also sook, souq, or suq, or shuq in Hebrew שוק is a highly fashioned commercial quarter in an Arab or Berber A bazaar ( بازار) (pazar is a permanent merchandising area Marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold

West Amman, however, is less crowded and more scenic. Parks and wide boulevards with towering apartments and office buildings dominate the scene. Most of the city's 5-star and 4-star hotels are located here as well. Stars are often used as symbols for classification purposes They are used by reviewers for ranking things such as movies TV shows restaurants and hotels Villas and expensive apartment complexes are very common. Most of Amman's foreign business flows through here. Shmeisani, the main economic center of Amman, and Abdoun, the up-scale residential district, are the two main areas of "West Amman" much different from the overly crowded Jabal al-Qalat in Old Amman. Shmeisani and Abdali are the two main financial districts in Amman.

Amman is currently experiencing rapid growth that is reshaping the ancient city into a commercial hub. New projects and proposals in and around the city include:

These projects, along with the boom in the Jordanian real estate market and the construction of many other smaller projects, is 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.

Culture

Amman is home to many diverse religious sects making up the two primary religions of Jordan, Islam and Christianity. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Numerous mosques and churches dot the capital. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger A church building is a Building or Structure whose primary purpose is to facilitate the meeting of a church. The most famous mosque of Amman is the King Abduallah I Mosque which can house almost 3,000 people. Most of the people in Jordan are Muslims, 90% and 5% Christians. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth

King Abduallah is currently proposing the cultural center called Darat King Abduallah. Proposals have been submitted by Zaha Hadid,[3] Delugan Meissl Associates[4] and Snøhetta. Zaha Hadid (زها حديد CBE (born October 31 1950 Baghdad, Iraq) is a notable British Iraqi deconstructivist Architect Snøhetta is an international Architecture, Landscape architecture, and Interior design office based in Oslo, Norway and [5]

Media

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. Although not as popular as Beirut or Cairo, many Jordanian singers work out of Amman. Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 Cairo () which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant" is the capital and largest city of Egypt.

Tourism

The King Hussein Mosque
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. Hussein bin Talal King of Jordan (حسين بن طلال Ḥusayn bin Ṭalāl) ( November 14, 1935 – February 7, 1999) was The downtown area (known locally as the Balad) has been completely dwarfed by the sprawling urban areas that surround it. Despite the changes, much remains of its old character. For those seeking the atmosphere of the Old City, it is best to venture to the district east of Jabal Amman. There, in the bustle of daily life, you can explore the capital's greatest souks, fine museums, ancient constructions, monuments, and cultural sites.

The Citadel hill of Amman, known as Jabal el Qala, 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 term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for The Citadel also 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. The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (often referred to as "the wise" ( April 26, 121 – March 17, 180) was Roman Emperor The Temple of Artemis ( Greek: Ἀρτεμίσιον Ephesus ( Hittite Apasa; Ancient Greek; Turkish Efes) was a city of ancient Anatolia.

Since Amman resembles Rome, as it is situated on seven hills, the city was a favorite place for Roman soldiers and officials. Behind the Roman forum stands a Roman theatre—the largest theatre in Jordan—with room for 6,000 spectators. The Forum was the public space in the middle of a Roman city It had a great social importance and was often the scene of diverse activities including political discussions Roman Theater is an Ancient theater built by the Roman Empire when it included the land of Jordan 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. Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionius Arrius Antoninus ( September 19, 86 &ndash March 7 161) generally known in English as Antoninus Pius

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 Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The newest of these is the enormous King Abdullah I Mosque, built between 1982 and 1989. The King Abdullah I Mosque, built between 1982 and 1989 in Amman, Jordan. It is capped by a magnificent blue mosaic dome beneath which 3,000 Muslims may offer prayer. A dome is a common structural element of Architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a Sphere. The most unusual mosque in Amman is the Abu Darweesh Mosque atop Jabal Ashrafieh (the highest point in the city). It is covered with an extraordinary black and white checkered pattern and is unique to Jordan. It is striking and 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 Circassian immigrants.

Amman is also home to many jewelers and souvenir shops for citizens and tourists alike. Most of Amman is well paved and nicely renovated. A new phase in Eastern Amman, the oldest part of the city, will repaint and renovate broken down building and build kiosks and street maps all over to the city to make touring Amman much easier for tourists. 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.

A new construction phase in Abdali will transform downtown Amman into a more desirable place for investment. The new development is mostly for business purposes and the rest are residential hi-rises and shopping centers. Office buildings and a new boulevard containing easy access to malls, restaurants, hotels, and residential buildings. This $1. 5 billion construction plan should be completed by 2010.

Unfortunately, a lone deranged gunman attacked Western tourists during a guided trip to the downtown Roman theatre in September 2006, shooting five of them, one fatally. The man was immediately apprehended, and claimed to have acted in response to the fighting between Israel and Lebanon during the prior months. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Despite this attack, tourism in Amman continues on a daily basis, and the city's tourist locations are generally well-policed. Given Jordan's location in a region that sees frequent conflict and violence, by statistics and by general mood, Amman remains a safe and interesting place to visit. For example, despite this killing, there is little or no violent or petty crime in Amman, especially against visitors, who uniformly report feeling safe at all hours in practically all locations in the city.

Shopping

Shopping is continually becoming more popular in Jordanian culture and is very notable in the past five years, with huge mega malls across Amman popping up such as Mecca Mall, Abdoun Mall, Amman Mall, City Mall, Plaza Mall, and Al Baraka Mall

. A shopping mall or shopping centre is a building or set of buildings that contain Retail units with interconnecting Walkways enabling visitors Mecca Mall ( Arabic: مكة مول MeccaMall is one of the biggest shopping malls in the Jordanian capital Amman. These malls all carry label names helping attracting tourists.

Nearby places of interest

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

Gallery Rawagah

2002 picture of Central Amman (downtown)

Abu Darweesh Mosque

Amman cityscape at night

A Coptic Church is an example of Amman's religious diversity

A night view of Khelda, West End of Amman

An overview of East Amman.

Snow in Amman.

A view from Amman's Regency Hotel

King Abdullah I Mosque at night

Inside of King Abdullah I Mosque

Medicine stalls in downtown Amman

An overview of Amman looking towards the Theater from the Citadel

Jordan gate towers under construction.

Amman seen from Citadel hill]]

The Roman Theatre

Temple of Hercules

Sister cities

Amman's sister cities are: [6]

References

  1. ^ Jordan Department of Statistics
  2. ^ Jordan Meteorological Department (English). Jeddah (also spelled Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda; جدّة Ǧiddah) is a Saudi Arabian city located on the coast of the The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Cairo () which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant" is the capital and largest city of Egypt. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Rabat ( Arabic الرباط, transliterated ar-Rabāṭ or ar-Ribāṭ) population 2 million ( 2007 estimate) is the Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) |name = Islamabad|native_name = |nickname = |settlement_type = Capital City |total_type Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Events 1279 - A Mongolian victory in the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Khartoum ( الخرطوم al-Kharṭūm) is the Capital of Sudan and of Khartoum State. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Nalchik (На́льчик Kabardian: Налшык Balkar: Нальчик is a city in the Caucasus region of southern Russia Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Events 43 BC - Octavian, later known as Augustus compels the Roman Senate to elect him Consul. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Doha (الدوحة or Ad-Dōḥah) is the Capital city of Qatar. Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated Events 618 - Coronation of the Chinese governor Li Yuan as Emperor Gaozu of Tang, the new Emperor of China, initiating three centuries Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar São Paulo ( is the largest city in Brazil, with its metropolitan area ranking among the largest urban areas in the world |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Algiers (الجزائر Algerian Arabic: Dzayer ( (From kabyle pronunciation Kabyle: Ledzayer, Alger) is the Capital and largest Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's Events 590 - Bahram Chobin is crowned as king Barham VI of Persia. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Bucharest ( Romanian: Bucureşti) is the Capital city, industrial and commercial centre of Romania. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Tunis ( Arabic: تونس Tūnis) is the Capital of the Tunisian Republic and also the Tunis Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Events 1400 - Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Nouakchott ( Arabic: or translation from [[Berber languages|Berber] "The place of the winds"] Nawākšūṭ is the Capital and by far the largest Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Events 537 - The Hagia Sophia is completed 1512 - The Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Events 1492 - The Ensisheim Meteorite the oldest Meteorite with a known date of impact strikes the Earth around noon in a Wheat 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Jordan Meteorological Department. Retrieved on February 27, 2008.
  3. ^ Zaha Hadid
  4. ^ Delugan Meissl Associates
  5. ^ Snøhetta
  6. ^ Amman’s Relations with Other Cities.

External links

Coordinates: 31°57′24″N 035°55′57″E / 31.95667, 35.9325

A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system.

Dictionary

Amman

-proper noun

  1. The capital of Jordan.
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