| Valley of the Orchads | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — Municipality — | |||
| The District of Swéfiéh's Skyline | |||
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| Nickname(s): The Valley, L'Wādi, Western Ammān, Ammān ıl Ğarbiyé. | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Jordan | ||
| Governorate | Amman Governorate | ||
| Government | |||
| • Greater Municipalities of Amman's Mayor | Omar Mâani | ||
| Elevation | 900-1,300 m (2,952-4,265 ft) | ||
| Time zone | UTC+2 (UTC+2) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (UTC+3) | ||
| Area code(s) | 06 | ||
| Website | http://www.ammancity.gov.jo/en/gam/index.asp | ||
Valley of the Orchads (Arabic: Wadi As Seer, known in Jordanian as Wadi'è Sér or Wadi'l Sir), is a municipality approximately 12 kilometres (7 mi) Northwest of the Jordanian capital's centre, on the outskirts of Ammān.[1][2]
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The municipality contains Wadi'è Sér City, a low-income small town on the outskirts of the Municipality that contains Ottoman buildings, left behind from the early 20th century when the Ottoman Empire controlled the area.[2] 10 kilometres out of Wadi'è Sér are the ruins of the castle Qasr al-Abd as well as Iraq L'Amir, a series of historic caves.[3]
Wadi'è Sér City contains a well known historic courthouse, an old fort,[4] an entire Ottoman styled neighbourhood standing on extremely steep hills that are enveloped by European narrow streets. The area is one of the extreme outskirts of the city and overlook some of the mountains that the city is built on.
Swéfiéh, one of the most important cultural districts of the Capital Ammān is located in the Wadi'è Sér Municipality. The district is home to the entertainment, clubbing and shopping industries of the country, as well as the "unofficial" red-light district of the city. It is a well-known fact among the inhabitants of Ammān that Swéfiéh has more clubs, strip clubs, sex shops and late night bars than the rest of the city combined.Despite its reputation for being the Red-light district and the "Soho of Ammān" by night, Swéfiéh houses many families and has a lot of family oriented spots. The malls of Swéfiéh are usually filled by families during the days and afternoons, whereas the same spots are occupied by a younger crowd during the night time. Swéfiéh also has a high number of renowned schools, such as The English School,[5] The British International Community School,[6] The Modern American School,[7] and the Patriarch Diodoros Greek School. Swéfiéh is home to the Baraké Mall,[8] one of the most influential malls in the district due to its beautiful and bizarre glass-based architecture and its iconic cinema complex.[9]
Âbdun or Abdoun is an influential residential and commercial district near Swéfiéh. Âbdun is considered by many to be the most affluent district of the city. It is located towards the south west of the city. Some of Jordan's most expensive real estate is located in the district. Âbdun is one of the city's centres for night-life. There are several mostly high-end nightclubs located in Âbdun which are frequented by both, local residents of the city and tourists alike. Âbdun Circle is surrounded by numerous restaurants, cafés and stalls, and is a popular spot among the city's youth. Âbdun Mall, the city's first mall, is also located in the district. The recently constructed Âbdun Bridge spans the Âbdun Valley, and connects the 4th Circle to the Âbdun Circle. It is considered one of Amman's many landmarks. It is the first steeply curved suspended bridge to be built in the area. The district is less congested than the rest of the municipality and takes the form of neighbourhoods and independent villas that are known for being the most expensive in the Levant, Europe and Asia.[10] The district is also home to the British and the American Embassies in the JK.[11][12]
The Valley of the Orchards has some quite distinctive culture that shapes that of the rest of the city. The municipality has the largest amount of West European and North American foreigners living in it. The Swéfiéh district is home to the fashion industry of the municipality and the rest of the city. Âbdun is one of the few low-congested areas in the entire city with distinctive Architecture and housing. Wadi'è Sér City has historic architecture, such as the old courthouse, the old fort and Ottoman styled neighbourhood which stands on the extremely steep western hills. However, Wadi'è Sér City doesn't affect the culture of the area due to the fact that a high percentage of the population has low-income, unlike Swéfiéh and Âbdun which is almost exclusively inhabited by the rich and wealthy. In general, the culture of Swéfiéh and Âbdun is based upon media, fashion, finance and shopping; which is a very important aspect of the every day life of the areas' residents.[13] Also, the film and music studios in the city are located in them and most of the city's artists and celebrities prefer to reside in the area. Some of the disadvantages of residing in the area are the high-congested population with non-stop traffic,[14] the heavy smog and fog that affects the entire city in general and can wrap it for weeks, the slightly higher crime rate than other districts and the extremely expensive living cost of just about anything; from grocery to real estate.[15]
The climate in The Valley of the Orchards is quite similar to the rest of the city, with variations of 5 degrees Celsius between some of its districts. Due to the quite high elevation of the valley, it sees warm and pleasant summers and cold rainy winters with the occasional snow. The Âbdun Valley sees warmer temperatures than the rest of the district due to its elevation but receives approximately the same amount of precipitation during the winter. The valley isn't usually windy during the winter, but the summers enjoy beautiful breezes day and night long. On an average Summer the temperature would range from 15 °C (59 °F) to 30 °C (86 °F), and typical Winter temperatures range from −4 °C (25 °F) to 6 °C (43 °F), not counting intense heatwaves or strong cold fronts. It should be noted that the entire city generally and Wadi'è Sér specifically suffer from strong Fog episodes during the winter, and somewhat intense haze or smog during the summer.[16]