Must see attractions in Umm Qais

  • Top Choice
    West Theatre

    Entering Umm Qais from the south, the first structure of interest is the well-restored and brooding West Theatre. Constructed from black basalt, it once…

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    Lookout Point

    This viewpoint offers tremendous vistas over Israel and the Palestinian Territories across the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights.

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    Museum

    Housed in Beit Russan, the former residence of an Ottoman governor, this modest museum is set around an elegant and tranquil courtyard of fig trees. The…

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    Decumanus Maximus

    Still paved to this day, the main road through the site once linked Gadara with other nearby ancient cities such as Abila and Pella. In its heyday, the…

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    Ottoman Village

    Surrounding the museum are the comprehensive ruins of an Ottoman village dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. Two houses, Beit Malkawi (now used as an…

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    Basilica Terrace

    A bit of imagination is needed to reconstruct the colonnaded courtyard of the Basilica Terrace, the western section of which housed a row of shops. The…

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    Baths

    West along the decumanus maximus are the overgrown public baths. Built in the 4th century, this would once have been an impressive complex of fountains …

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    Tomb of Modestus

    The thick stone doors of this Roman tomb outside the main archaeological area still swing on ancient hinges. Nearby are the less notable tombs of Germani…

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    North Theatre

    The North Theatre is overgrown and missing much of its original black-basalt stones, which were recycled by villagers in other constructions, but it's…

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    Shops

    The shells of a row of shops remain in the western section of what was once the colonnaded courtyard of the Basilica Terrace.

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    Nymphaeum

    This public water fountain, once a two-storey complex with a large covered cistern, has niches for statues of the water goddesses.

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    Roman Mausoleums

    The decumanus maximus continues west of the main site for 1km or so, leading to some ruins of limited interest, including baths, mausoleums and gates…

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    Ottoman Mosque

    This small mosque, no longer consecrated, is at the heart of the old Ottoman village of Umm Qais.