Amman Citadel
ATTRACTION Keywords:
Cultural Experience,
Monument - Military
Modern, buzzy Amman does a better job than Damascus or Jerusalem of hiding its ancient origins, but Philadelphia (to give the city its original Roman name) does have some notable antiquities.
Foremost among them is the Amman Citadel, built on the summit of Jebel al-Qala'a, the highest of Amman’s seven hills. It has had an extraordinarily long life as a fortress, with evidence of Bronze Age usage, while the remnants of a Roman site, including the Temple of Hercules, are still very much in evidence. This Citadel has also been a royal residence, as indicated by the ruins of the 8th century Ummayad palace, with its largely intact domed audience hall built on the site of a Byzantine basilica.
The Citadel makes a great vantage point over the rest of the city, an especially impressive sight at sunset or at evening as the lights twinkle on Amman’s sloping hills.
Latest Reviews
Review by Rababa, United Arab Emirates, April 2013
Doing what: Private Evening Tour of Central Amman with Arabic Meza Dinner
Our driver was on time and picked us up from the hotel to take us around the city. He was immensely friendly and knowledgeable. We went to the Citadel at sunset, then headed to view the Roman Amphitheatre from a high point in the city.
We were then taken for a trip through Downtown Amman before heading to a restaurant for dinner. The reason this tour misses a star is because the restaurant's service was a bit of a let-down and the staff were not that friendly or welcoming.
Review by Jonathan F, February 2012
Doing what: Private Evening Tour of Central Amman with Arabic Meza Dinner
Interesting tour. My wife and I are pretty spontaneous and this seemed like a unique twist on a basic tour. We were picked up on time from our hotel and driven via private car around Amman. We found out that our guide was actually not a tour guide, but rather the brother of the owner of the car and simply doing him a favor by driving us around the city. It felt more like a friend showing us around his city. Not much structure or history provided but this was fine with us. The dinner was absolutely fantastic. I advise you to skip lunch because there is a ton of amazing food. We also asked to start the tour at 5pm instead of 6pm because we wanted to see some of the sights during daylight. The Citadel was closing when we arrived but we were able to talk our way in for some beautiful pictures. Most of the remainder of the tour was driving around the upscale areas of Amman. I do not recall seeing the Radhadan palace but I may have forgotten. If you are interested in a laid back "tour" of the city with some great food, this would be good for you.
Review by Randell B, USA, July 2010
Doing what: Private Amman City Sightseeing Tour with Optional Arabic Meza Lunch
Practical Info
The best option for reaching the top of Jebel al-Qala'a from central Amman is to take a taxi; you can always walk down again!
