Madaba Map (St. George's Church)
خريطة مادبا
In the floor of St. George's Greek Orthodox Church in Madaba, the 'City of Mosaics', lies a mosaic map of the Holy Land from the 6th century, the oldest such world map still surviving.
The Madaba Map was made around AD 560 from roughly two million pieces of colored stone. It depicts the holy places from Lebanon to the Nile Delta in Egypt. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the main street within Jerusalem are clearly identifiable, making it the oldest surviving map of the Holy Land.
Admission to the church is about 2 dinars, and it is open roughly 8:00 to 17:00. Visits are restricted during Friday and Sunday morning services.
Madaba is about 35 km from Amman (around 40 minutes by car). It is often combined with Mount Nebo and the Dead Sea in a day trip, and the town also has an archaeological park and mosaic workshops.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–17:00 (morning prayer-time restrictions on Fri and Sun)
Nearby sights
- Mount Nebo
- Iraq al-Amir & Qasr al-Abd
- Royal Tank Museum
- Wadi Mujib Viewpoint (King's Highway)
- Umm ar-Rasas (Kastron Mefa'a)
- Cave of the Seven Sleepers
- The Jordan Museum
- Rainbow Street