Madaba – Mosaics and Archaeology

Madaba is shaped by its mosaic art and archaeological sites. The city’s history can be explored through an extraordinary map, churches and collections covering a range of subjects. You can choose the cultural focus of your stay according to whether you are particularly interested in mosaics, archaeological finds or local heritage.

The Madaba Map and its history

The Madaba Map was discovered on the floor of the older church during the construction of the present-day church. It is considered the oldest geographical map of the Holy Land. Its original size is said to have been 5.6 × 15.7 metres; today, only about a quarter remains. Both the story of its discovery and its surviving dimensions give the map a special place among Madaba’s cultural attractions. For travellers interested in mosaics, it connects this art form with a specific historical discovery in the city.

Archaeological sites and mosaics

Madaba Archaeological Park includes the Church of the Prophet Elijah, the Crypt of Saint Elianus and hanging mosaic murals. The park also contains the remains of a paved Roman road, the Hall of Hippolytus and the Church of the Virgin Mary. This collection brings together different kinds of evidence: mosaics alongside church buildings and traces of a Roman road. If you would like to explore several archaeological themes, these sites offer a range of points of interest.

Museums: finds and local heritage

The Mādabā Archaeological Museum arranges its archaeological collections by findspot and chronologically. The museum was established in 1979 in a group of old houses where numerous mosaic floors had been discovered. The Mādabā Folklore Museum has a different focus: it was established to preserve the local heritage of Mādabā and the surrounding villages. Together, the archaeological collections and local heritage offer two distinct perspectives on the city and its surroundings.

Finding your way around the city

The Madaba Visitor Centre serves as a starting point for visitors’ stays in the city. Tourist Street, also known as al-Hussein bin Ali Street, is another point of reference. It is a shopping street for handicrafts and products related to Madaba’s mosaics and religious imagery. This makes it possible to explore cultural themes not only through churches and collections, but also through the handicraft motifs offered in the city.

Churches and history in the surrounding area

The Byzantine Church of the Apostles lies southeast of Madaba. It has a three-aisled basilica plan; a circular inscription around its mosaic names Salmanios as the artist and 578 AD as the year the church was built. Dhiban is another historical point of interest nearby. Under King Mesha, Dhiban was the capital of the Moabite kingdom; the Mesha Stele was found there in the mid-19th century. These places broaden the picture of Madaba to include Byzantine architecture and the history of the Moabite kingdom.

When choosing a holiday rental in Madaba, you can shape your stay around a particular theme: the mosaic map and archaeological sites form one focus, while the museums offer their own perspectives on collections and local heritage. By combining different interests, you can draw on several cultural themes to guide your trip planning.

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