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Spring of John the Baptist
Accessible on foot (hot in summer so take a hat and water), this is one of several places where John is believed to have carried out baptisms. Most…
Shutterstock / Konstantin Yolshin
Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan
Whatever one’s religious persuasion, it’s hard not to be moved by this minimal pile of ruins lying at the end of the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea. This is the site, archaeologists assure us, where John the Baptist preached, where Jesus was baptised, where the first five apostles met, and where, thereby, the foundations of the early Christian faith were laid. They chose an auspicious spot, as many also believe this was the place from where prophet Elijah (who was born in Mar Elias in north Jordan) ascended to heaven in a whirlwind.
Explore Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan
- SSpring of John the Baptist
Accessible on foot (hot in summer so take a hat and water), this is one of several places where John is believed to have carried out baptisms. Most…
- BBaptism Site of Jesus Christ
A covered walking trail meanders past ancient steps down to the original water level and the sparse archeological remains of 5th-century Byzantine…
- RRhotorios Monastery
The hill behind the House of Mary the Egyptian holds the presumed cave of John the Baptist, a 5th-century monastery (built around the site) and the ruined…
- TTell Elias
Tell Elias is where Elijah is said to have ascended to heaven, although there is little to see here. The rebuilt arch marks the 5th- to 6th-century…
- HHouse of Mary the Egyptian
Mary the Egyptian was a ‘reformed sinner’ who lived and died in a two-room house in the 4th century, now a ruin. The trail continues left, up some wooden…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan.
See
Spring of John the Baptist
Accessible on foot (hot in summer so take a hat and water), this is one of several places where John is believed to have carried out baptisms. Most…
See
Baptism Site of Jesus Christ
A covered walking trail meanders past ancient steps down to the original water level and the sparse archeological remains of 5th-century Byzantine…
See
Rhotorios Monastery
The hill behind the House of Mary the Egyptian holds the presumed cave of John the Baptist, a 5th-century monastery (built around the site) and the ruined…
See
Tell Elias
Tell Elias is where Elijah is said to have ascended to heaven, although there is little to see here. The rebuilt arch marks the 5th- to 6th-century…
See
House of Mary the Egyptian
Mary the Egyptian was a ‘reformed sinner’ who lived and died in a two-room house in the 4th century, now a ruin. The trail continues left, up some wooden…
Guidebooks
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