Historical Places in Jordan

Exploring historical places in Jordan is like stepping back in time. Ancient monuments, heritage buildings and cultural landmarks reveal the city’s fascinating journey through the centuries. MakeMyTrip offers 1341 historical attractions in Jordan for 2026, perfect for travellers who enjoy history, culture and architecture.

Historical Places in Jordan: Castles and Heritage Sites

You don’t just look at the historical places in Jordan, you stumble into them. A narrow canyon suddenly opening onto a carved façade, or a ruined Roman street where the stones are uneven under your shoes. It feels less like a museum and more like the past waiting around every bend.

Petra is the name everyone knows. The walls glow pink, then orange, then almost red as the light shifts, and the silence inside the canyon makes your own footsteps sound too loud. Then there’s Jerash, with its columns leaning but still standing proud, where you can almost hear the echoes of a crowd in the old amphitheatre. Each Jordan historical place feels alive in its own way, some quiet, some dramatic, all holding you longer than you expect.

The details make it stick. Dust that clings to your clothes, the way carved stone feels cool when you press your palm against it, or the sudden call to prayer drifting over ruins as the sun goes down, and exploring the historical places in Jordan isn’t just about ticking them off a list. It’s about slowing down, catching your breath, and letting those moments settle and even small activities, sharing tea with a shopkeeper, watching kids play football near an old wall, or pausing to sit in the shade of an arch, become part of the memory.

Historical Place in Jordan

Ancient Cities & Ruins

Petra

The first time you see Petra through the narrow siq, it doesn’t feel real. The walls of sandstone tower above you, streaked with pinks and reds, and then suddenly the Treasury appears, carved so perfectly it almost looks new.

Historical Background: Built more than two thousand years ago by the Nabataeans, Petra was a hub for trade, a place where spices and silk once passed through.

Key Highlights: Among the historical places in Jordan, Petra is the one that lingers longest. A Jordan historical place that feels both grand and intimate, where you can spend hours climbing steps to monasteries, or just sit on a stone ledge listening to the wind move through canyons. The best activities here aren’t rushed, take the time to hike to the viewpoints, trace your hand along weathered carvings, or simply watch the colours shift as the sun sinks lower.

• Timing: 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 5,500 for a one-day pass.
• Location: Petra, Ma’an Governorate.

Jerash

Walk through Jerash and you feel like you’ve stepped back into Rome, but in Jordan. Its colonnaded streets stretch out in every direction, arches rise high, and the amphitheatre still carries an echo when you clap your hands.

Historical Background: The city was once one of the Decapolis, flourishing under Roman rule nearly two thousand years ago.

Key Highlights: It’s one of the historical places in Jordan where time bends. A Jordan historical place that lets you imagine the sound of carts rolling over stone, the chatter of merchants, the hum of crowds. Among the activities, don’t miss climbing to the top rows of the theatre for the view, or wandering into the oval forum just to stand in the middle and spin slowly, surrounded by columns.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 850 approx.
• Location: Jerash, north of Amman.

Umm Qais

Far in the north, where Jordan looks out across the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights, lies Umm Qais. The ruins here once belonged to Gadara, another Roman city. Black basalt mixes with white limestone, making the site look different from anywhere else. Old theatres, streets, and even houses sit half-buried in wildflowers when spring comes.

Historical Background: Once the Greco-Roman city of Gadara, founded in the 3rd century BC, was famed for its philosophers and poets.

Key Highlights: A Jordan historical place where you sit on theatre steps with views stretching into three countries at once. The activities are as simple as wandering through ruins at your own pace, sitting in silence as the sun drops, or sharing a coffee with locals just outside the gates.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 250.
• Location: Umm Qais, Irbid Governorate.

Castles & Fortresses

Ajloun Castle

You reach Ajloun on winding mountain roads, olive trees stretching in every direction. The castle rises above it all, stone walls weathered but still defiant.

Historical Background: Built in the 12th century by Saladin’s generals, it once stood as a defence against the Crusaders. Now, it’s one of those historical places in Jordan where history clings to the air.

Key Highlights: Inside, the cool stone corridors twist and turn, some leading to towers with sweeping views of the Jordan Valley. It’s a Jordan historical place that feels alive. Among the best activities is climbing up at sunset, when the hills turn gold and the call to prayer echoes from villages below.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 300.
• Location: Ajloun, north of Amman.

Kerak Castle

In the heart of the old King’s Highway sits Kerak Castle, massive and built for war. Thick walls, long dark tunnels, and endless chambers that still feel intimidating centuries later. It was a Crusader stronghold, later taken by Muslim forces, making it one of the most layered historical places in Jordan.

Historical Background: A massive Crusader fortress built in the 1140s AD, later taken by Saladin in 1188.

Key Highlights: Walking through Kerak is like stepping into a labyrinth. You carry a torch or follow shafts of light down stone passages, and suddenly you’re out on a terrace looking at valleys stretching into forever. This Jordan historical place isn’t polished, it’s raw, uneven, and better for it.

• Timing: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 400 approx.
• Location: Karak, central Jordan.

Qasr Al-Kharanah

East of Amman, the desert rolls out flat and endless, and in the middle of it stands Qasr Al-Kharanah. A square fortress from the Umayyad period, built more than a thousand years ago, its purpose still debated, maybe an inn, maybe a meeting point, maybe both.

Historical Background: An early Islamic desert castle from around 710 AD, likely used as a caravan stop or meeting place.

Key Highlights: It’s one of those historical places in Jordan that feels almost surreal, a Jordan historical place sitting alone in silence, its walls glowing orange in the late sun. Inside, staircases lead to empty rooms with windows looking out on nothing but desert. The best activities here are the simplest: walking slowly through the upper floors, listening to the silence press in, or just stepping outside and turning back to see the fortress framed by miles of sky.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 200.
• Location: Eastern Desert, Amman Governorate.

Religious & Sacred Sites

Mount Nebo

You climb slowly, the road bending through hills until you reach the top. The air is thinner here, quiet too, and when you stand at the edge, the land stretches out in layers of desert, valleys, and far-off rivers. Tradition says this is where Moses first saw the Promised Land. That alone makes it one of the most powerful historical places in Jordan.

Historical Background: A sacred site since biblical times, mentioned in Deuteronomy (7th century BC) as the place where Moses viewed the Promised Land. This Jordan historical place isn’t grand in scale, but the stillness makes it unforgettable.

Key Highlights: Inside the small church, mosaics glow faintly, telling stories in stone. Among the simple activities is just standing at the viewpoint, letting the wind whip your clothes, or tracing the outlines of mosaics laid down by hands long gone.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 250 approx.
• Location: Near Madaba, west Jordan.

Madaba Mosaic Map

In the middle of a church floor, you find a map. Not drawn on paper, but laid in tiles more than a thousand years ago. It shows the Holy Land, Jerusalem, and parts of the region in surprising detail. Madaba is often called the City of Mosaics, but this piece is the star.

Historical Background: A 6th-century AD mosaic map of the Holy Land, preserved in a church floor in Madaba.

Key Highlights: As far as historical places in Jordan go, it feels unusual, part artwork, part history lesson. A Jordan historical place that connects geography, faith, and time in one fragile masterpiece. The activities here aren’t complicated: bending low to spot details, or just imagining the pilgrims who once walked in to see the same map centuries ago.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 200 approx.
• Location: St. George’s Church, Madaba.

Al-Maghtas (Baptism Site of Jesus)

By the Jordan River, the air feels heavy, still. You walk along dusty paths until you reach a site that Christians consider one of the holiest in the world, the baptism place of Jesus. Ancient steps carved into the earth lead down toward the water, a quiet witness to events that shaped faith for millions.

Historical Background: Revered since the 1st century AD as the place on the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized by John.

Key Highlights: This is one of the historical places in Jordan where silence speaks louder than words. A Jordan historical place that blends archaeology with deep spiritual weight. The activities are gentle: touching the river water, pausing by old chapels, or simply sitting back under the shade to let the atmosphere sink in.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 1,000.
• Location: Jordan Valley, near the Dead Sea.

Desert Castles & Remote Sites

Qasr Amra

The desert seems endless, flat sand and scrub, and then Qasr Amra rises up like a mirage. From the outside, it looks plain, but step inside and the walls surprise you, covered in colourful frescoes of hunting scenes, kings, and even zodiac signs.

Historical Background: Built in the early 8th century during the Umayyad dynasty, it’s a UNESCO site and one of the historical places in Jordan you don’t forget easily.

Key Highlights: This Jordan historical place carries the weight of both art and empire. You can stand under its domed ceiling, painted deep blue with stars, and imagine the desert rulers who once rested here. The activities are simple but memorable: wandering the halls, spotting tiny details in the frescoes, or just standing outside watching the fortress glow gold under the sun.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 200 approx.
• Location: Eastern Desert, about 85 km from Amman.

Qasr Al-Azraq

If the desert feels harsh, Al-Azraq makes sense. A fortress built of black basalt, heavy and strong, it has guarded the eastern desert for centuries. You’ll find traces of Roman, Byzantine, and Umayyad presence, but most famously, this was where T.E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, stayed during the Arab Revolt.

Historical Background: A black basalt desert fortress dating back to Roman times (3rd century AD), later used by Lawrence of Arabia in 1917.

Key Highlights: Among the historical places in Jordan, Qasr Al-Azraq stands apart. A Jordan historical place that feels raw and military, with heavy stone doors you can still push open by hand. The activities here aren’t grand: walking the ramparts, feeling the rough volcanic rock under your palm, or standing in the courtyard with nothing but silence around you.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 250 approx.
• Location: Azraq, Eastern Desert.

Qasr Al-Mushatta

Closer to Amman, Qasr Al-Mushatta is more ruin than fortress, but its details still stop you. Carved stone walls, fragments of intricate decorations, and arches hint at what was once meant to be a grand palace. Construction began in the Umayyad period but was never finished, leaving behind a skeleton of history in the sand.

Historical Background: An unfinished Umayyad palace from the mid-8th century AD, known for its ornate stone carvings.

Key Highlights: It’s one of those historical places in Jordan where imagination does half the work. A Jordan historical place that feels quiet, broken, but oddly peaceful. The activities are reflective more than anything else: walking slowly among the scattered stones, sketching patterns in a notebook, or just sitting down on the sand with the ruins spread around you.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Free entry.
• Location: Near Amman, Eastern Desert.

Traveller Tips for Exploring Jordan

• Start your day early or wait for the golden light of evening. The heat can be brutal by noon, and wandering the historical places in Jordan feels far better when the sun is softer.
• Carry plenty of water, along with a scarf or hat. Shade is scarce around desert ruins, and comfort helps you enjoy the walk instead of rushing through.
• Hiring a local guide is worth it. Every Jordan historical place holds stories that aren’t written on signs, and hearing them makes the walls and carvings come alive.
• Leave space for wandering on your own, too. Sometimes the best memories come from simple activities like sitting quietly on an old step or leaning against a stone wall just to listen to the wind.
• Be mindful with photography. Many chapels and courtyards are still used for prayer, so respect the silence when it’s needed.
• Always carry cash. Markets and small stalls near ruins often don’t accept cards, but they do offer warm smiles, tea, and sometimes fresh bread.
• Most importantly, slow down. The historical places in Jordan aren’t just about seeing, they’re about feeling, the crunch of gravel, the scent of dust, the weight of centuries that stays with you long after you leave.