Aqaba Church
كنيسة العقبة
A late 3rd-century mud-brick building discovered in 1998, believed to be one of the earliest churches purpose-built in the world.
Archaeologists excavated this site in 1998. It was built around 293 to 303 CE and is thought to be one of the earliest churches built specifically for Christian worship, predating the Roman Empire's official recognition of Christianity. The remains consist mainly of mud-brick wall foundations and sections of Byzantine-era city wall. The site is plain, and visitors need some imagination to picture it, but it suits anyone interested in religious history. It lies a short distance north of Ayla, inside an open-air enclosure, and it can be visited on foot together with the Ayla ruins.
Opening hours
All day (view from outside the fence)
Nearby sights
- Ayla Archaeological Site
- Royal Yacht Club of Jordan
- Aqaba & Red Sea
- Sharif Hussein Bin Ali Mosque
- Aqaba City Beach & Corniche
- Saraya Aqaba Waterpark
- Aqaba Flagpole & Great Arab Revolt Plaza
- Aqaba Archaeological Museum