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Madaba

The amiable market town of Madaba is best known for a collection of Byzantine-era mosaics. The most famous of these is the map on the floor of St George’s Church, but there are many others in different parts of the town, several of them even more complete and vibrantly colourful.

Madaba has one of Jordan's largest Christian communities. The town’s long tradition of religious tolerance is joyfully – and loudly – expressed on Friday, when imams (religious teachers) summon the faithful to pray before dawn, and bells bid Orthodox Christians to rise at first light.

The town remains one of the most traveller friendly in Jordan, and it's an alternative to Amman as a base for exploring the King’s Highway and Dead Sea highlights. By taxi, you can even travel directly from Queen Alia International Airport in around 20 minutes, bypassing Amman altogether.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Madaba.

  • Church

    St George’s Church & Mosaic Map

    This rather modest 19th-century Greek Orthodox church houses a treasure of early Christianity. Imagine the excitement in 1884 when Christian builders came across the remnants of a Byzantine church on their construction site. Among the rubble, having survived wilful destruction, fire and neglect, the flooring they discovered wasn’t just another mosaic but one with extraordinary significance: to this day, it represents the oldest map of Palestine in existence and provides many historical insights into the region.

  • Museum

    Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist

    This operational early-20th-century Roman Catholic church has been transformed into an intriguing destination for visitors and pilgrims by the restoration of the ancient sites upon which it sits. The gem of the complex is the Acropolis Museum, housed in the vaulted underbelly of the church. Here a well dating to the Moabite era, 3000 years ago, is still operational.

  • Church

    Church of the Apostles

    This insignificant-looking church contains a remarkable mosaic dedicated to the Twelve Apostles. The embroidery-like mosaic was created in AD 568 and is one of the few instances where the name of the craftsman (Salomios) is included. The central portion shows Thalassa, a female personification of the sea, surrounded by fish and slippery marine creatures. Native animals, birds, flowers, fruit and cherubic faces decorate the corners.

  • Archaeological Site

    Madaba Archaeological Park I & Virgin Mary Church

    Some careful restoration and excavation in the early 1990s led to the creation of this open-air museum, which houses a collection of ruins and fine mosaics from the Madaba area. The Church of the Virgin Mary is also included in the site; built in the 6th century and unearthed beneath the floor of a private house in 1887, the church boasts a central mosaic, thought to date from 767, that is a masterpiece of geometric design.

  • Historic Building

    Visitors Centre

    This helpful interpretative centre makes a good starting point for visiting the highlights of Madaba. It's worth a visit in its own right, as it's housed in a beautifully restored traditional house from the late 19th century, belonging to the Al Batjali family. Two of the rooms contain interesting information panels in English on the history of Madaba, and there’s a 10-minute film that sets the town in its historical context.

  • Archaeological Site

    Archaeological Park II

    Walkways lead around the ruins of this late-6th-century luxury private mansion, destroyed by fire and earthquake around 749. The walkways offer a good view of assorted mosaics, the best of which are the hunting sequences in the east wing, and the lion attacking a bull in the west wing. It's fair to say that the site takes more imagination than most.

  • Museum

    Madaba Museum

    Housed in several old Madaba residences, this museum features a 6th-century mosaic depicting a naked satyr; a saucy (and partly damaged) mosaic of Ariadne dancing with cymbals on her hands and feet; and a mosaic in the courtyard depicting two rams tied to a tree – a popular image recalling Abraham’s sacrifice. A small, dusty Folklore Museum is included in the admission price; it features jewellery, traditional costumes and a copy of the Mesha Stele.

  • Workshop

    Madaba Institute for Mosaic Art & Restoration

    Originally set up as a school in 1992 by the Jordanian government, this institute trains Jordanian artists in the production and restoration of mosaics, spreads awareness of mosaics in Jordan and actively preserves mosaics throughout the country. The restoration work of the school’s artisans is evident in the Archaeological Park, the Church of the Apostles and at Khirbet Mukhayyat. Visit the administration office to arrange a workshop visit to enhance your appreciation of the painstaking nature of mosaic making.

  • Historic Building

    Dar Al Saraya

    Built in the late 19th century as the administrative centre of the Ottomans, this grand old building was subsequently used as the headquarters of the British administration in 1922. It's been well restored and there are plans for it to become a restaurant. In the meantime, the adjacent hillside plaza makes a good place to catch the breeze.