MUSEUMS
Amman Spotlight: nymphaeum
Built in 191 AD, it was once a large two-story complex with fountains, mosaics, stone carvings and possibly a 600 square meter swimming pool.
During its heyday as a Greco-Roman trading post, Amman used to be known as Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love. Few traces of that ancient history remain in modern-day Amman, with the notable exceptions of the Roman Theater, and the Citadel. Much of what constituted the Citadel has suffered under the unkind ravages of time, but travelers can still appreciate the faded glory of the site by visiting the impressive palace that now houses the Jordan Archaeological Museum, and exploring what remains of the famed Temple of Hercules. The Citadel is a few minutes’ drive uphill from downtown Amman. Perched upon one of the city’s seven hills, with the city of Amman and its Roman Theater spread out below, the Citadel affords a stunning view of Amman’s urban sprawl.