A close second to Petra on the list of favorite destinations in
Jordan, the ancient city of Jerash boasts as unbroken chain of human occupation
dating back more than 6,500 years.
The city's golden age came under Roman rule and the site is now generally
acknowledged to be one of the best preserved Roman provincial towns in the
world. Hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over
the past 70 years, Jerash reveals a fine example of the grand, formal provincial
Roman urbanism that is found
throughout the Middle East, comprising paved and colonnaded streets, soaring
hilltop temples, handsome theatres, spacious public squares and plazas, baths,
fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates.
Beneath its external Graeco - Roman veneer, Jerash also preserves a subtle
blend of east and west. Its architecture, religion and languages reflect a
process by which two powerful cultures meshed and coexisted, The Graeco -
Roman world of the Mediterranean basin and the ancient traditions of the Arab
Orient.
The Jerash festival, held in July every year, transforms the ancient city
into one of the world's liveliest and most spectacular culture events. The
festival features folklore dances by local and international groups, ballet,
concerts, plays, opera, popular singers and sales of traditional handicrafts,
all in the brilliantly floodlit dramatic surroundings of the Jerash ruins.
