Review: The Citadel ★★★★★
Sitting on top of Amman, like a crown, is the spectacular Citadel. Honestly, before heading up here I wasn’t expecting much. From the bottom of the hill you can’t get much of a prospective on what’s actually up there. I thought so little of seeing this place that I put it on the back burner and decided to see it if I had time on my return to Amman before I flew out to Lebanon. I’m so glad I made time to visit.
I was floored when I finally made up there. Not only was I surprised by how big it was up there, but also by how enjoyable it was too walk around. To think I almost skipped this site…
More Than Just The Citadel
The ruins of the Citadel themselves are quite significant. You can easily spend a few hours to the whole afternoon exploring what’s here, but the fun doesn’t stop with the Citadel. There are a few other sites on the hilltop that are a must see.
Temple of Hercules
You should see the Temple of Hercules (included with the Citadel ticket). Really you can’t miss it. It’s the most significant Roman structure up there. The columns that are left stretch up to the sky, giving some idea of what would have been here back in the 2nd century when it was constructed. There is some debate as to whether or not the temple was actually finished or not.
Make sure you don’t miss the giant hand of Hercules, which is stick up out of the ground. I noticed quite a few people strut right past it without noticing.
Umayyad Palace
Umayyad Palace (included with the Citadel ticket) is a mostly ruined palace with a reconstructed dome. It’s worth a quick look. You be hard-pressed to spend more than twenty minutes looking around here. Since it’s included as part of the Citadel, it’s worth seeing.
Jordan Archaeological Museum
The Jordan Archaeological Museum (included with the Citadel ticket) is also worth an hour of your time. There is a treasure trove of statues of Pagan gods, jewellery, pottery, and pretty nifty coin collection. The later of which I really enjoyed. Again, seeing as this is included in your ticket price, it’s worth your time to drop by and see. It’s also a great place to go to get out of the sun.
Last But Not Least
Lastly, there are many view points here so it’s a great place to just see Amman and its chaotic layout. There are also unbeatable terrific views of the Roman Theater. You should plan your trip for the afternoon, so you also take in a sunset. You will get chased off by the staff when they are closing. It’s a fun game of cat and mouse.
Need more information about Jordan?
Check out our full write up on Amman HERE.
Read about our adventures in the north & all the rest HERE. (coming soon)
See our stories about Wadi Rum HERE.
Learn all about Petra HERE.
Contact & General Information
Price: 2JD (Covered with the Jordan Pass)
Hours: Daily 8am – 7pm
Website: Amman Citadel (Another useless website. There is an option for English, but then it says there is no information in English. So, it’s only in Arabic)
Location: Google
