Once a grand Umayyad settlement, today Mushash lies in ruin. However, it’s still possible to get a sense of the original layout, and there are a number of impressive buildings left standing including the remains of a palace, a large courtyard surrounded by a dozen rooms, baths, cisterns and walls built to protect against possible flooding. Only accessible by 4WD, Mushash can be reached via an access road along Hwy 40.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
15.49 MILES
The area known as the Citadel sits on the highest hill in Amman, Jebel Al Qala’a (about 850m above sea level), and is the site of ancient Rabbath-Ammon…
15.58 MILES
On the hillside to the north of the downtown area, this cultural haven is dedicated to contemporary art. The main building features an excellent art…
20.02 MILES
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15.14 MILES
The Jordan Museum, located next to the City Hall, is one of the best in the Middle East. Housed in a grand modern building, a series of beautifully…
20.11 MILES
This brilliantly designed hands-on museum for kids is a complete joy. In its many zones, young visitors can play and learn about everything from the…
19.36 MILES
The small but impressive Qasr Al Abad, west of Amman, is one of the very few examples of pre-Roman construction in Jordan. Mystery surrounds the palace,…
St George’s Church & Mosaic Map
12.84 MILES
This rather modest 19th-century Greek Orthodox church houses a treasure of early Christianity. Imagine the excitement in 1884 when Christian builders came…
15.29 MILES
This magnificently restored theatre is the most obvious and impressive remnant of Roman Philadelphia, and is the highlight of Amman for most foreign…
Nearby Jordan attractions
0.04 MILES
These partially reconstructed 8th-century ruins are of the winter palace of Umayyad caliph Walid II, planned as a lavish castle but never finished. They…
10.05 MILES
The legend of the ‘seven sleepers’ involves seven Christian boys who were persecuted by the Roman Emperor Trajan, then escaped to a cave and slept there…
12.61 MILES
Amateur archaeologists will like Tell Hesban, 9km north of Madaba. Over the centuries this strategic hill has been a Bronze Age settlement, a Hellenistic…
12.69 MILES
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…
5. Madaba Institute for Mosaic Art & Restoration
12.75 MILES
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6. Madaba Archaeological Park I & Virgin Mary Church
12.77 MILES
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…
12.81 MILES
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…
8. St George’s Church & Mosaic Map
12.84 MILES
This rather modest 19th-century Greek Orthodox church houses a treasure of early Christianity. Imagine the excitement in 1884 when Christian builders came…