The church mosaics
The hunting and herding panel, among Jordan's finest and best-preserved.
Berthold Werner — CC BY 3.0 · Raya Sharbain — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Matson Collection — Public domain · Matson Collection — Public domain
The mountain from whose summit, in the biblical account, Moses was shown the Promised Land before his death — one of the principal Christian pilgrimage sites in Jordan. From the western edge the whole land opens below you: the Jordan Valley, then the Dead Sea glinting at the bottom, Jericho directly opposite, and on a clear day the lights of Jerusalem on the horizon. The drop is enormous — you stand at some eight hundred metres above sea level looking down at a point four hundred metres below it. On the summit stands a memorial church built on the foundations of a fourth-century Byzantine one, recently restored and re-roofed. Inside are superb mosaic floors — the best known showing hunting, herding and animals, among the finest and best-preserved mosaics in Jordan. In the forecourt stands the modern Serpentine Cross by the sculptor Giovanni Fantoni, joining the symbol of Moses's bronze serpent and the cross of Christ in one form. Pope John Paul II came here in 2000 on the Jubilee pilgrimage, marked by a commemorative plaque. The visit is short — an hour is enough — and the site is well ordered with parking and level paths, suitable for older visitors. Twenty minutes from Madaba and forty from the Dead Sea; the three combine in one day.
The hunting and herding panel, among Jordan's finest and best-preserved.
A modern sculpture joining Moses's bronze serpent and the cross in one form.
The Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and Jericho open below from eight hundred metres.
West of Madaba, Jordan
No. It is primarily a Christian pilgrimage site, but the view and the mosaics reward anyone regardless of motive, and many Muslim visitors come for its place in the story of Moses and for the outlook. The visit is short, well ordered and imposes nothing.
Only on very clear days, usually in winter after rain or early in the morning before dust rises. On most days you will see Jericho, the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley clearly, while Jerusalem shows as a faint line on the horizon, or not at all.
Sign in to write your review of this place.
No reviews yet — be the first.