Jerash

Ancient Gerasa flourished in the 2nd century AD, when Emperor Hadrian visited and a triumphal arch was built in his honour. You enter through that arch and walk past the hippodrome into the unique Oval Plaza, framed by 56 Ionic columns.

From there the Cardo Maximus runs north past shops, the Nymphaeum fountain and the great Temple of Artemis, whose columns still sway slightly in the wind. The South Theatre seats 3,000 and has perfect acoustics – bagpipe players from the Jordanian army often perform there. In July the Jerash Festival brings music and poetry back to the stones.