Machaerus
مكاور
The hilltop fortress ruins of Herod, where tradition says John the Baptist was beheaded, with views over the Dead Sea and the far shore from the summit.
مكاور was built in the 1st century BC and later expanded by Herod into a palace-fortress. According to Josephus, John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded here. The site sits on an isolated hilltop, a 15–20 minute climb on foot. At the top you can see palace foundations, water cisterns and reconstructed columns, with views over the Dead Sea and the Judean Mountains. Sunsets are especially good. Entry costs very little, and the site is open during the day. It lies in Mukawir village, about 30 km southwest of Madaba, and can be combined with Mains Hot Springs.
Opening hours
Open daytime
Nearby sights
- Ma'in Hot Springs
- Dead Sea Panorama Complex
- Wadi Mujib Siq Trail
- Amman Beach (Dead Sea Public Beach)
- Dead Sea
- Wadi Bin Hammad
- Baptism Site "Bethany Beyond the Jordan" (Al-Maghtas)
- Museum at the Lowest Place on Earth & Lot's Cave