Madaba Governorate

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Nahias of Madaba

Madaba, (Arabic مادبا) is one of the governorates of Jordan, it is located west of Amman, capital of Jordan. Its capital is Madaba.

Madaba is divided into 2 nahias:

Dhiban
Madaba

[edit] Interesting sites

The city of Madaba is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially the Madaba Map, a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of Palestine and the Nile delta.

Mount Nebo, according to the Bible, is the site where Moses viewed the Promised Land. Mount Nebo, just west of Madaba town, formed part of the Madaba Diocese during Byzantine times. Here the mosaics discovered at the Moses Memorial together with those in the churches in the village of Nebo, in the 'Uyun Musa valley and at 'Ayn al-Kanisah carry inscriptions which date them to the times of the Bishops of Madaba from the late Fifth century to the middle of the eighth century AD. Umm al-Rasas - Kastron Mefaa, on the southeastern steppes, also formed part of the diocese, laying as it is close to the Wadi Mujib-Arnon, a natural boundary of the Province. Here were brought to light the splendid mosaics of the Saint Stephen Complex together with the Church of the Lions (sixth-eighth centuries AD), which complement the eighth-century mosaic discovered in the village of Ma'in.

Ma'in is a village in Madaba that is the site of a beautiful natural thermal waterfall. Its therapeutic effects are utilized by those with aching joints and skin irritations. a new tourist industry is growing around the site with the building of a new hotel and spa.

Mukawer, 15 km south of Madaba city, is where the Body of Saint John the Baptist supposedly lies after he was beheaded at the request of King Herod Antipas' niece. The site is located on top of a big mountain rising from the shores of the Dead Sea and overlooking most of the Dead Sea and ancient Palestine.

Many archeological excavations with pre-Biblical and Biblical emphases take part during the summer months in Madaba Governorate; new discoveries are being made each year.