Umm Qais (Gadara)
أم قيس
The ruins of the Decapolis city of Gadara in Jordan's northwest corner. From the black basalt theatre you can take in the Sea of Galilee, the Golan Heights and the Jordan Valley all at once.
Gadara was one of the Decapolis, the league of Ten Cities of the Roman period. The site preserves a black basalt west theatre, a colonnaded street, a Byzantine church and a village of stone houses from the Ottoman era. The Biblical story of Jesus driving a herd of demon-possessed pigs also takes place in this area.
From high points in the ruins you can see the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) and the Golan Heights. Admission is about 5 dinars (included in the Jordan Pass), and it is open roughly 8:00 to 18:00 in summer.
It is about 110 km from Amman and is often visited together with Jerash in a single day.
Opening hours
Summer approx. 08:00–18:00; winter approx. 08:00–16:00
Nearby sights
- Pella (Tabaqat Fahl)
- Ajloun Forest Reserve
- Ajloun Castle
- Jerash (Gerasa)
- As-Salt Old Town
- Royal Automobile Museum
- King Abdullah I Mosque
- Amman Citadel