Arriving at Jerash the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa appear in the middle of the modern city. They seem to be out of place, surrounded by the hustle of the city of Jerash. Or maybe it is the modern city that tries to match the ancient splendor of the ruins by surrounding it tighter and tighter, in the hope of soaking up its atmosphere. There are not many foreign tourists here, and the main language we hear around is Arabic. Paying the entrance fee of 10JD (international student card is not accepted) stings a bit, but the ruins will be worth it.
History of the city dates back to the Hellenistic era, and it might have been founded by Alexander the Great, but its importance lies in the fact that it is one of the best preserved Roman cities in the Near East. The sheer size of the city is incredible, imagining it at the time of its glory. The area has been inhabited for a long time, even though an earthquake destroyed the city at the end of 740s. The ruins were rediscovered by German artifact hunter at the beginning of the 1800s. Find more information about the history of Gerasa here. We spent four hours strolling around the city. One of the highlights was sitting down in the South Theatre (which can hold an incredible amount of spectators, over 3,000), watching kids play with the echo, and listening to local musicians playing the bagpipe. Yes, the bagpipe. In Jordan. Didn't expect that. The Middle East has its own tradition of bagpipe-like instruments, but its current use dates back to the British Empire and military bands. So the day passed calmly. No hurry anywhere. Sitting among the ruins, enjoying the warmth of the setting sun, surrounded by new friends and old ones, petting kittens, eating traditional mezes and grilled meat, drinking tea with mint. The perfect way to spend my first Friday in Jordan. See more photos of the day below.
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