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Jordan Tourism Guide |
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Um
Al Rasas |
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The Old and New
Testaments mention it, the Romans fortified it and the
local Christians were still embellishing it with
Byzantine-style mosaics well over one hundred years
after the beginning of Muslim rule: Kastron Mefaa,
modern Umm ar-Rasas, has a long history. The rectangular
walledcity lays in ruins, but several buildings in its
eastern part, including churches, a courtyard with a
well, staircases and beautifully curved stone arches
have been excavated and restored. The main attraction,
though, lies outside the city walls: it is the Church of
St. Stephen with its perfectly preserved mosaic floor,
the largest one in Jordan. It contains the images of 15
major cities of the Holy Land from both east and west of
the Jordan River, making it a discovery second only to
the mosaic map of Madaba. Less than 2 km north of the
fortified town, the highest standing ancient tower of
Jordan puzzles the specialists: a 15 metre high, square
tower with no door or inner staircase, now inhabited by
swarms of birds.
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