The town of Madaba (approx. 90,000 inhabitants), 35 km southwest of Jordan's capital, is known as the City of Mosaics. World famous and much visited is the mosaic map of the Holy Land from the second half of the 6th century. 

But you should also take your time to see the other fascinating mosaic floors in Madaba. Most of them were created in the 6th/7th century during the Byzantine period, developed from the classical Hellenistic-Roman tradition. Madaba's heyday continued until the 8th century under the Muslim Umayyads, who were tolerant of Christianity.

After a severe earthquake in 746, the city was abandoned. It only came back to life at the end of the 19th century, when Christian Arabs moved from Karak to Madaba. As they started to build their houses and churches on the Byzantine ruins, began the discovery of the magnificent mosaics which can be admired today.

Madaba, the City of Mosaics in Jordan | The Holy Land

 

Just 30km from Amman, along with the 5,000-year-old Kings´ Highway, is one of the most memorable places in the Holy Land. After passing through a string of ancient sites, the first city you reach is Madaba, known as the “City of Mosaics."

Best known for its spectacular Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, Madaba is home to the famous 6th century Mosaic Map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. With two million pieces of vividly colored local stone, it depicts hills and valleys, villages and towns as far as the Nile Delta.

The Madaba Mosaic Map covers the floor of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, which is located northwest of the city center. The church was built in 1896 AD, over the remains of a much earlier 6th century Byzantine church. The mosaic panel enclosing the Map was originally around 15.6 X 6m, 94 sq.m., only about a quarter of which is preserved.

Other mosaic masterpieces found in the Church of the Virgin and the Apostles and in the Archaeological Museum depict a rampant profusion of flowers and plants, birds and fish, animals and exotic beasts, as well as scenes from mythology and the everyday pursuits of hunting, fishing, and farming. Literally, hundreds of other mosaics from the 5th through the 7th centuries are scattered throughout Madaba's churches and homes.

In line with Jordan's commitment to restoring and preserving its mosaic masterpieces, Madaba’s extensive Archaeological Park and Museum complex encompass the remains of several Byzantine churches, including the outstanding mosaics of the Church of the Virgin and the Hippolytus Hall, part of a 6th-century mansion.

Close to the Church of the Virgin is the Madaba Institute for Mosaic Art and Restoration, which operates under the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism. The only project of its kind in the Middle East, the Institute trains artisans in the art of making, repairing and restoring mosaics.

OUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO IN MADABA

 

BE AWED BY THE MOSAIC MAP AT ST GEORGE’S CHURCH

A large part of your time here will be spent exploring the intricate floors designs of old Madaba, but there is one mosaic in particular which changed the modern course of this old city; the Madaba Map.

Rediscovered in 1884, and now part of the floor of the peaceful Greek Orthodox St George’s Church, the 6th century Madaba Map is, to this day, the oldest known map of the Holy Land, and the most exact before modern cartography was developed.

Designed by an unknown artist, and based upon the Bible itself aswell as the Onomasticon of Eusebios - a sort of directory of place names written some time in the early 4th century - this vast mosaic (at least 15 metres by 6 metres) was composed of more than two million pieces of coloured stone, and encompassed a geographical sweep from Lebanon in the north and the Nile delta in the south, to the Mediterranean Sea in the west and desert in the east. Jerusalem was, naturally, at its centre.

The exact purpose of the map is of great debate amongst historians, religious scholars and academics. Some believe it was created to help guide pilgrims to the Holy Land, others believe it to represent Moses’ vision of the Promised Land from nearby Mount Nebo, and many feel certain that its presence was to enhance the spiritual experience of worshippers during Christian prayer.

Fire, earthquake and wilful neglect has regrettably destroyed much of the original design, but what remains continues to be considered to be one of the most important archaeological finds in this region of so many wonders.

Two hundred years have passed since the Christians returned to Madaba, but their desire to build anew has put Madaba very much back on the map.

 

 

The Essentials | The church is open 9.30am to 5pm on Fridays all year, 8am to 5pm Saturday to Thursday in the winter (November to March) and until 6pm in the summer (April to October).

The Jordan Pass is not accepted here, with tickets costing 1JD per person (under 12s are free) from the little office to the right of the church entrance.

Note that on Friday and Sunday mornings the church opens at 7am for Mass, to which visitors are welcome but viewing of the map at this time however is not permitted.

We chose to visit the church by ourselves and without a guide, bur we must admit that we really didn’t appreciate the gravitas of the site until it came to writing this article and putting in lots of research. If we were to do it all over, we’d seriously consider hiring a local guide to fully appreciate just how special this map truly is as well as talk you through the various symbols, words, and locations on it (quite difficult to decipher otherwise).

As with all religious buildings, remember that this is an active place of worship, and one should dress and act respectfully.