Amman: Sometimes spelled Ammann (Arabic عمان ʿAmmān), is the capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a city of 2,125,500 inhabitants (2006 estimate), and the administrative capital and commercial centre of Jordan. It is the capital city of Amman Governorate.

History

Throughout history, Amman has been inhabited by several civilizations. The first civilization on record is during the Neolithic period, around 6500 BC, when archaeological discoveries in 'Ain Ghazal, located in eastern Amman, showed evidence of not only a settled life but also the growth of artistic work, which suggests that a well-developed civilization inhabited the city at that time. In the 13th century BC Amman was called Rabbath Ammon or Rabat Amon by the Ammonites (רַבַּת עַמּוֹן, Standard Hebrew Rabbat ʿAmmon, Tiberian Hebrew Rabbaṯ ʿAmmôn). It was later conquered by the Assyrians, followed by the Persians, and then the Greeks. Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the Hellenic ruler of Egypt, renamed it Philadelphia. The city became part of the Nabataean kingdom until AD 106 when Philadelphia came under Roman control and joined the Decapolis.

In 324 AD, Christianity became the religion of the empire and Philadelphia became the seat of a bishopric during the beginning of the Byzantine era. One of the churches of this period can be seen on the city's Citadel.

Philadelphia was renamed Amman during the Ghassanian era, and flourished under the Caliphates (with nearby capital) of the Ummayads (in Damascus) and the Abbasids (in Baghdad). It was then destroyed by several earthquakes and natural disasters and remained a small village and a pile of ruins until the Circassians settlement in 1887. The tide changed when the Ottoman Sultan decided to build the Hejaz railway, linking Damascus and Medina, facilitating both the annual haj pilgrimage and permanent trade, putting Amman, a major station, back on the commercial map.

In 1921, Abdullah I chose Amman as seat of government for his newly-created state, the Emirate of Transjordan, and later as the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. As there was no palatial building, he started his reign from the station, with his office in a train car. Amman remained a small city until 1948, when the population expanded considerably due to an influx of Palestinian refugees as a result of them leaving the newly-created state of Israel. Amman has experienced exceptionally rapid development since 1952 under the leadership of two Hashemite Kings, Hussein of Jordan and Abdullah II of Jordan.

In 1970, Amman was the site of major clashes between the Syrian-backed PLO and the Jordanian army. Everything around the Royal Palace sustained heavy damage from shelling. Most of Amman suffered great damage from PLO rockets and Jordanian shells hitting suspected PLO buildings.

The city's population continues to expand at a dizzying pace (fueled by refugees escaping the wartime events in Palestine and Iraq). The city received refugees from these countries on a number of occasions. The first wave of Palestinian refugees arrived from West Bank and Gaza as well as Israel proper in 1948. A second wave after the Six Day War in 1967. A third wave of Palestinian and Jordanian and South East Asians, working as domestic servants, refugees arrived in Amman from Kuwait after the Gulf War of 1991. The first wave of Iraqi refugees settled in the city after the first Gulf War. A second wave also began arriving after the invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003. During the last 10 years the amount of new building within the city has increased dramatically with new districts of the city being founded at a very rapid pace (particularly so in West Amman), straining the very scarce water supplies of Jordan as a whole, and exposing Amman to the hazards of rapid expansion in the absence of careful municipal planning.

Geography

Amman is located in a hilly area of north-western Jordan. The city was originally built on seven hills, but it now spans over an area of nineteen hills (each known as a jabal or "mountain"). The main areas of Amman gain their names from the hills and mountains on whose slopes they lie.

Because of the cooling effects of its location on a plateau (a flat area of land), Amman enjoys four seasons of excellent weather as compared to other places in the region. Summer temperatures range from 28 - 35 degrees Celsius (82 – 95 °F), but with very low humidity and frequent breezes. Spring and fall temperatures are extremely pleasant and mild. The winter sees nighttime temperatures frequently near zero, and snow is known in Amman, as a matter of fact it usually snows a couple of times per year.The yearly average number of days with rain is 5-45 and with snow it is 0-8.It typically will not rain from April to September, with blue skies prevailing. But lately it started to rain in April and the beginning of May.

Transportation

The city's main airport, Queen Alia International Airport, is situated about 30 minutes south of Amman and hosts the majority of the air travel to and from the country.

By land, the city has frequent bus connections to other cities in Jordan as well as to major cities in neighboring countries; the latter are also served by service taxis. Internal transport is served by a number of bus routes and taxis. Service taxis, which most often operate on fixed routes, are readily available and inexpensive. The main two bus and taxi stations are Abdali (near the King Abdullah Mosque, the Parliament and Palace of Justice) and Raghadan (near the Roman Amphetheatre in Downtown). The city can suffer from considerable traffic congestion at peak hours, especially during summer months when affluent vacationers from the Gulf region summer in Amman to take advantage of its relatively mild weather.

New Amman

Amman is experiencing rapid growth that is reshapping the ancient city into a commercial hub. The following approved plans are in effect:

-Abdali Downtown: This new development in the heart of Amman will hold a new pedestrian walkway with easy access to stores, malls, restaurants, and residential and office buildings. There will be new hi-rises for residential and commercial purposes. A new library and performing arts center is being built and dozens of open grass and tree space along with manmade canals and water fountains. This should be completed by 2010.

-Construction of the American University of Jordan.

-Construction of Jordan Gate, which is nearly completed, is being funded by Bahraini and Kuwaiti entreupeuners. The two identical skyscrapers will house office buildings.

-Bonyan city, that will consist of 5 new skyscrapers that will house apartments and offices

-The Heights Tower, of 35 floors, will house apartments and it is currently under construction.

-Sky Tower, of 30 floors of apartments, is under construction.

-A proposed Amman World Trade Center of 33 floors

-Amman Financial Tower, of 56 floors, has been approved to be constructed.

-Betina City consists of 3 central skyscrapers,a mega-mall, a new railway city, a suspended river, and 3 additional towers

-Emirates Towers, spiral thin glass buildings, as part of the Emarr Mega Plan

-Abdoun Suspended Bridge to lessen street congestion

-Expansion of Queen Alia International Airport

-Jordan Twin Towers to be constructed by the Nuqul group, will be 34 stories high and will be completed by 2008

-The nearby Andalucian Village that will house over 600 villas, spas, fitness and health centers, swimming pools, and a recreation area to be completed by 2008. 64% of the village had already been sold.

All of these among other smaller operations in Amman and the rest of Jordan will put Amman onto the global market and transform the ancient city into a new center of commerce.

Tourism

King Abdullah I Mosque at night

The Roman Theatre

Much of Amman's tourism is focused in the older downtown area, which is centered around the old Souk (a colorful traditional market) and the King Hussein Mosque. The downtown area (known locally as the Balad) has been completely dwarfed by the sprawling urban areas that surround it. Despite the changes, much remains of its old character. For those seeking the atmosphere of the Old City, it is best to venture to the district east of Jabal Amman. There, in the bustle of daily life, you can explore the capital's greatest souqs, fine museums, ancient constructions, monuments, and cultural sites.

The Citadel hill of Amman, known as Jabal el Qala, has been inhabited for centuries, important as a military and religious site. It dates back to Roman and Byzantine times, and later work was carried out in the early Islamic era. Remains unearthed at the northern and eastern ends of the Citadel, possibly date back to the Bronze Age. The Citadel also is home to the Temple of Hercules which is said to have been constructed under the Roman imperial ruler Marcus Aurelius who reigned from AD 161-180, is similar to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus.

Since Amman resembles Rome, as it is situated on seven hills, the city was a favorite place for Roman soldiers and officials. Behind the Roman forum stands a Roman theatre—the largest theatre in Jordan—with room for 6,000 spectators. Thought to have been built between AD 138 and AD 161 by the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, it is constructed into the side of the mountain and is still used for sport displays and cultural events.

Amman is also home to some of the grandest mosques in the Middle East, although they compare less favorably to the ones to be found in Istanbul, Turkey. The newest of these is the enormous King Abdullah I Mosque, built between 1982 and 1989. It is capped by a magnificent blue mosaic dome beneath which 3,000 Muslims may offer prayer. The most unusual mosque in Amman is the Abu Darweesh Mosque atop Jabal Ashrafieh (the highest point in the city). It is covered with an extraordinary black and white chequered pattern and is unique to Jordan. It is striking and visible from quite some distance. In contrast, the interior is totally free of the black and white scheme. Instead, there are light colored walls and Persian carpets. This religious building was erected by one of Amman's Circassian immigrants.

Amman is also home to many jewelers and souvenir shops for citizens and tourists alike. Most of Amman is well paved and nicely renovated. A new phase in Eastern Amman, the oldest part of the city, will repaint and renovate broken down building and build kiosks and street maps all over to the city to make touring Amman much easier for tourists.

A new construction phase in Abdali will transform downtown Amman into a more desirable place for investment. The new development is mostly for business purposes and the rest are residential hi-rises and shopping centers. Office buildings and a new boulevard containing easy access to malls, restaurants, hotels, and residential buildings. This 1.5 billion dollar construction plan should be completed by 2010.