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Madaba is an ancient town south of Amman, long known as the City of Mosaics.
In the Church of Saint George lies its treasure, a mosaic map of the Holy Land laid in the sixth century, the oldest known map of the region. It shows Jerusalem, the Jordan, the Dead Sea and dozens of biblical places in coloured stone.
Madaba also holds many other fine Byzantine mosaics in its churches and homes.
The Madaba map is a window into how early Christians saw the Holy Land, lovingly charted stone by stone fourteen centuries ago.
Pilgrims come to stand over it and find Jerusalem at its heart, the same city their own journey circles. It pairs naturally with nearby Mount Nebo, and gives a sense of how long and how deeply this land has been held sacred.
What is Madaba famous for? The oldest surviving mosaic map of the Holy Land.
Where is the map? On the floor of the Church of Saint George.
What is nearby? Mount Nebo, a short drive away.
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