It was an early morning in Madaba and I felt a bit tired after long flight yesterday. We got up at 7:30 am and at 7:45 am we were already having breakfast. The guy served us with some pita bread, coffee with cardamon (Turkish coffee) and some hummus and some other soft cheese. Personally, I was not a big fan of Turkish coffee, even though it tastes good but that thick layer of coffee at the bottom always left a nasty feeling in my mouth.
Table of Contents
The city looked different in the morning, but it was a bit cloudy, so the colours were a bit grey. Just like in London.
St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church
Our first stop was at St George’s Greek Orthodox Church. The entrance was 3 JOD for an adult.
St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church stands on a site with a very rich past, tracing back to a 6th-century Byzantine church. The current structure was erected in 1896, notably to house and preserve the remarkable Madaba Mosaic Map. This 6th-century map of the Holy Land is a priceless historical artefact, offering significant insights into the region’s ancient geography and is considered the oldest surviving map of the area. The locations can such as baptism place of Jesus, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and even Karnak in Egypt can be identified on the map.
Unfortunately, to preserve the mosaic, one can only see it from a distance, behind a red chain. I saw pictures from 2007 and back then the church had solid floor, so it is seems it is going a major renovation and as the sign said rehabilitation.
Also you can find the explanation of the map outside of the church if you are interested to find what locations are represented in it.
Madaba Archeological park
After visiting St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church we headed to just a few minutes away Madaba Archeological park, which was included in Jordan pass. Interestingly all we had to say we have a Jordan pass and the lady in Ticket office didn’t even ask to show it, but do have it printed out as in some place they do require physical one.
The Massuh Church Mosaics
The Massuh Church, located near Madaba in Jordan, features significant mosaic floors with a complex history. Excavations revealed two layers of mosaics: the lower one, dating to the 6th century AD, shows no signs of iconoclasm, while the upper layer, from the 7th century AD, displays systematic iconoclastic damage that was later repaired. The mosaics include a central panel with florets and animal figures, an apse decorated with vine scrolls, and nave panels with figurative motifs, geometric patterns, and inscriptions. The mosaic floor was found during archaeological excavations carried out at the church in 1970. For the purposes of conservation and protection, it was lifted from its original site in 1993 and is now housed at the Madaba Archaeological Park.
Decumanus, Madaba
Visible remnants of a Roman road, stretching along an east-west axis, offer a glimpse into Madaba’s ancient urban layout. This road is identified as a Decumanus, a characteristic feature of Roman city planning. Roman cities were typically organised around a grid system, with the Decumanus serving as a principal east-west thoroughfare. Ideally, it would intersect with the Cardo, the city’s main north-south axis. While Madaba’s Cardo remains undiscovered, the existing Decumanus, constructed between the 2 AD – 3 century AD, attests to the city’s significant Roman influence. The road was paved with substantial flagstones, a testament to Roman engineering prowess, and originally served to link the city’s eastern and western gates. Over time, during the Byzantine and Umayyad periods, the road was buried under a layer of earth, preserving it for later discovery.
Madaba’s Decumanus, the city’s ancient east-west Roman road, is more than just a thoroughfare; it’s a journey through time, flanked by structures that narrate its rich and layered history. Originally constructed by the Romans in the 2 AD – 3 century AD, the Decumanus became a vital artery, and its importance continued through subsequent eras.
Today, walking along its visible remnants, you’ll encounter a fascinating blend of architectural styles. Alongside the foundations of Roman buildings from the road’s initial construction, the Byzantine period, which followed Roman rule, left an indelible mark. Several churches, such as the Church of the Virgin Mary and the Church of the Prophet Elijah, rose and stood along this road, reflecting the city’s flourishing Christian community. Residential structures from this era also offer insights into daily life in Madaba centuries ago. The Umayyad Caliphate’s influence is evident as well, particularly in structures unearthed at Tall Madaba. These buildings showcase the evolution of the city’s architecture and its adaptation to changing cultural and religious landscapes.
Several of Madaba’s most important sites are located along the Decumanus, including the Hippolytus Hall, with its stunning mosaics, and the Church of the Holy Martyrs (known locally as Al-Khader), which unfortunately had no time to visit and see the mosaics there, and the Burnt Palace (which we missed and it has some awesome mosaics to see, on of them hunter with a spear pointing to a bear), both of which can be seen in the Madaba Archaeological Park. The surviving stylobates – the bases of what were once a grand colonnade – are among the Decumanus’s most evocative features. These columns would have lined the entire length of the Roman road, creating a shaded and impressive space for commerce and public life. However, as the city evolved, many were repurposed in later Byzantine and Islamic constructions, a testament to Madaba’s continuous transformation and the reuse of its ancient fabric.
The Hippolytus Hall, Madaba
The Hippolytus Hall is a most famous for its stunningly preserved and intricate mosaic floor in Madaba. This 6th-century Byzantine-era hall, possibly part of a residence or dining area, is located within the Madaba Archaeological Park, and offers a glimpse into the artistic and cultural influences of its time. The elaborate mosaic depicts scenes from Euripides’ Greek tragedy “Phaedra and Hippolytus,” along with other classical motifs like personifications of cities and figures such as the Three Graces and Aphrodite. Interestingly, the Church of the Virgin Mary was later built over this hall, adding another layer to the site’s rich history.
The Madaba mosaic depicting Euripides’ Hippolytus illustrates key scenes and characters from the Greek tragedy. The mosaic features several figures from the tragedy, often with their names inscribed above them. These include Aphrodite – goddess of love (who made Phaedra to fall in love with Hippolytus), Carpoicis (Carpo) holding a basket of fruit, Phaedra, Hippolytus, his servants, and other supporting characters.
The mosaic shows Phaedra in a state of distress (bottom left corner), surrounded by her handmaidens. This represents her suffering due to her forbidden love for her stepson, Hippolytus.
Another key scene is the depiction of Hippolytus, shown in the context of leaving or preparing for a hunt, which is probably represented in the bottom right scene which is destroyed.
The decorative elements such as acanthus scrolls (those feather like ornaments) and personifications of the seasons (women in the corners) often frame these scenes. You can see goddess Auxo (one of the Horae, Greek goddesses of the seasons, and is specifically associated with summer) the left top corner represented with wheat in the hands.
Cities in mosaics were often represented by their key structural components, emphasising their physical form and function. Walls, gates, and towers conveyed defensive capabilities and urban boundaries. Streets, colonnaded avenues like the Cardo Maximus, and other infrastructure elements illustrated the city’s organisation and connectivity.
Another way to represent cities in mosaics were by depicting certain objects within the city, that held symbolic importance, which were included in the depictions. Prominent buildings, especially religious structures like churches and temples, were frequently featured, highlighting the city’s religious and cultural identity.
Lastly, personification (not so popular though) was also used to represent the cities as well as seasons. While it is less common in the Madaba Holy Map specifically, cities were sometimes represented through personification, often as female figures. These personifications, seen in other mosaics of the period, embodied the spirit or fortune of the city. For example, the Greek goddess Tyche, who governed a city’s fortune and prosperity, was sometimes depicted. We can see in the mosaic in Hyppolitus Hall three cities of Rome, Gregoria and Madaba represented as women sitting down on their thrones and wearing their crowns and long garments.
Umayyad period mosaic
While Madaba is most famous for its Byzantine mosaics, the city also features mosaics from the Umayyad period (roughly VII-VIII AD). These mosaics offer a glimpse into the artistic and cultural transitions that occurred in the region following the Islamic conquest. The Umayyad period saw a continuation of the mosaic tradition in Madaba, although with some changes in style and subject matter. Islamic art generally avoids depictions of human and animal figures, and this influence can be seen in some Umayyad mosaics, where such figures might be less prominent or altered. Consequently, Umayyad mosaics often feature intricate geometric designs and stylised plant motifs. Mosaics from this period have been found in various locations around Madaba, including domestic structures and churches; for instance, the Church of the Virgin Mary has a mosaic floor dated to 767 AD, during the Umayyad period, which features geometric and floral motifs.
Behind the Umayyad period mosaic you can see the wall blocks from the end of the VI AD – beginning of VIII AD.
Madaba’s Layered Past: The Reuse of Roman Structures
Madaba, a city rich in history, reveals a fascinating story of continuity and adaptation through its architecture. Many structures from the Byzantine period, and later the Islamic period, were built upon the foundations and remnants of earlier Roman buildings, demonstrating a practical approach to construction and a respect for what came before. Roman columns, stones, and other architectural elements were frequently incorporated into new constructions, serving as both structural components and decorative features in churches, homes, and other buildings. This practice not only made use of available resources but also created a tangible link between successive historical periods.
A prime example of this reuse can be seen in the Church of the Virgin Mary. This Byzantine church, with its distinctive round nave, was built over the remains of a Roman temple. The temple’s substructures were repurposed to create crypts and underground rooms with barrel vaults and arches, effectively integrating the older structure into the new design. To the west of the church, a courtyard was constructed over a deep Roman cistern, showcasing how even utilitarian elements of the Roman period were adapted for new uses. The courtyard itself features a mosaic made of large white tesserae, a testament to the ongoing tradition of mosaic art in Madaba.
The repurposing of Roman materials and structures wasn’t limited to the Church of the Virgin Mary. Architectural elements from the Roman temple and other Roman-era buildings were widely reused throughout Madaba in the construction of various churches and other structures. This practice speaks to the ingenuity of Madaba’s builders, who skilfully blended different architectural styles and historical periods to create the unique and layered urban landscape that we see today.
The Church of the Prophet Elijah in Madaba
The Church of the Prophet Elijah, in the Madaba Archeological Park, is noted for its well-preserved mosaic floors, which showcase intricate geometric patterns and depictions of various scenes. Like many mosaics in Madaba, those in the Church of the Prophet Elijah provide valuable insights into the artistic styles and cultural influences of the Byzantine period. While the exact date of its initial construction can be difficult to pin down, many of the mosaics and structural elements are attributed to the Byzantine era (roughly IV to VII AD), a time of significant Christian building and artistic development in the region.
The Crypt of Saint Elianus
Beneath the Church of the Prophet Elijah is an old crypt, called the Crypt of Saint Elias, which is decorated with even more beautiful mosaics. Stairs from the church lead down to this underground space, opening onto a square area with mosaics. On the south side, a mosaic shows a small tree with fruit, and on the north side, there’s a medallion with a pattern of interwoven shapes. The crypt has a vaulted ceiling and gets light from a window in the apse.
The mosaics in the Crypt of Saint Elias show the incredible skill and creativity of Madaba’s mosaic artists. A stunning and colourful mosaic covers the crypt’s main area, with a border of winged ribbons and a pattern of interlaced crosses and birds. An inscription in this mosaic says that the church was built during the time of Bishop Sergius, for the priest Sergius, in the year 595-596 AD. These mosaics give us a glimpse into Madaba’s rich artistic and religious history, and the talent of the people who created them.
Other mosaics in Archeological Park of Madaba
Take your time to explore the Archaeological park as it has quite a lot of mosaics. Some of them are hanging in front of the bathrooms that are next to the school inside of the complex.
The last ones next to the schools bathrooms looks like it was made by kids (I might be wrong), but still it looks really awesome.
St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church
We rushed to St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, as we were running out of time and it was time to go to Petra already. The entrance was only 1 JOD for adult.
The story of St. John the Baptist Church is deeply intertwined with the archaeological discoveries in its vicinity. The modern church stands on a site rich with history, where excavations have unearthed remnants of earlier settlements and religious structures. An archaeological park adjacent to the church reveals these fascinating finds, including a well believed to be thousands of years old. This well, possibly dating back to the Moabite or Roman periods, underscores the site’s long history as a center of human activity and perhaps spiritual significance.
The construction of the modern St. John the Baptist Church incorporated and preserved many of these archaeological elements. This deliberate integration of the past into the present creates a unique atmosphere where visitors can witness the continuity of faith and history.
First we went to see the well. The well is believed to date back to the Moabite era, potentially around 3,000 years old. This makes it a very ancient structure and a testament to the long history of human settlement in Madaba.
There was quite a lot of mosaics to enjoy as well in the basement.
This is a beautiful copy of a mosaic “The rural life” from the church of Mount Nebo, depicting scenes of rural life, including hunting, grape gathering, animal care, and an using animals for agriculture.
This is a beautiful VI century AD copy of a mosaic “The hunting” from the church of Mount Nebo, depicting scenes of rural life, including hunting, grazing, animal care, and a variety of shrubs and flowers
In the Church of the Virgin Mary, the three cities of Madaba, Gregoria, and Rome are represented as goddesses of fertility and good fortune. These representations, also found in other Christian cities, depict Gregoria with a basket of flowers, Rome with fertile fruits like pears and pomegranates, and Madaba carrying sheaves of ripe wheat. This is just a copy.
The Tree of Madaba, or the Tree of Elianus (to distinguish it from the Tree of Life in Hisham’s Palace in Jericho), is part of the mosaic in the Church of St. Elijah and was completed in 595 AD. It features representations of pomegranates and grapes. The original in The Crypt of Saint Elianus in Madaba Archeological Park (photo in the section above).
A mosaic of Jerusalem (called “ΙΕΡΟΥΣΑ[ΛΉΜ]”), which is the Greek spelling for Jerusalem) forms part of the Holy Land Map, located in the floor of the early Byzantine church of Saint George.
It was quite interesting to explore the dungeons as well, but very easy to miss as there was a small arch next to the stairs to the tower. You have to really bend to pass it through. Just look for this green flower mosaic and on the right there will be an arch.
It seems the ceiling is fortified with metal constructions to hold the weight of the new Church.
After exploring the dungeon we headed to the top of the tower. Also, when we bought the tickets we were specifically told not to ring the bells.
There was those ropes everywhere, which were tempting to hold on to, but those ropes are actually the ones that ring the bells. We heard few times while climbing up the bells ringing and it turns out that couple was climbing down and was ringing them all the way down. Very disrespectful, especially when they asked explicitly not to ring them. At least none of the staff complained or blamed us afterwards.
The view from the top was stunning. You could see Madaba from all the sides and on one side a road leading to the fields with no houses.
On our way down we noticed this funny inscription on the wall: “The idea is to die young as late as possible”.
Just before leaving the church I’ve noticed that cross that stand out and then I saw this inscription on the wall “Byzantine cross with Roman triumphal arch, found in 1891, when the construction of the old church began, which is located on the right side of the current church”. That black arrow pointing to it kind of ruins the view.
Madaba Archaeological Museum
Lastly, we headed to Madaba Archaeological Museum, which was also included in a Jordan pass. Again the same story, we didn’t even have to show the passes, just to tell that we have them. There was not many descriptions at the mosaics in this museums, so enjoy just the pictures.
The mosaic of animals and the tree looks really impressive. It looks like 4 cows or similar domesticated animals grazing the tree leaves.
Another mosaic looks like Amphorae with wine stems and leaves drying out and also some bushes and flowers on the sides.
This beautiful ornament carved in sandstone looked also impressive, all the details of the ornament was done by a real artist.
On our way back to hotel we saw this car, which says “Don’t monkey my sky” meaning “Don’t annoy me or drive me crazy” it also could me “Don’t mess with my stuff”. It could make sense that this is not put graffiti on the car (as some had it) or not to annoy when driving behind.
We also spotted a bakery and we bought some bread for the trip. The bakers were so kind and opened up the bakery for us to come in and take photos. They even gifted some other kind of bread to one of the girls.
A bit after 10:00 am we picked up our car from hotel and went on a road to Petra.
Places not to miss
We skipped few places, since we had to rush. Here is the list of few places to see.
- Burnt palace and Martyrs Church, since it is the same entrance to Archaeological park 2
- Apostles Church, unfortunately we ran out of time
- Mount Nebo, we had no time to visit
- Moses’ Spring, which is close to Mount Nebo.