Jabal Amman

Jabal Amman (Arabic: جبل عمان) is one of the seven hills that originally made up Amman, Jordan. Today, Jabal Amman is near the old downtown area.

History

Along with the rest of old Amman, Jabal Amman was first settled during the Neolithic period. But unlike nearby hills, particularly Jabal al-Qal'a, Jabal Amman was never fortified.cite book|title=Rough Guide to Jordan|author=Matthew Teller|Publisher=Rough Guides, 2007|isbn=1843534584] It remained somewhat of a wooded outback until the 20th century, when Amman was declared the capital of Transjordan and royalty, wealthy families, businesses, army offices, and politicians began moving into Jabal Amman. Soon, the "jabal" was informally established as an elite neighborhood of Amman. As Amman spread west, the 1st Circle was built and Jabal Amman became a primary east-west artery for the quickly expanding city. As the area aged, trees and greenery matured. Today, full grown trees line the streets of Jabal Amman. In 2005, the Greater Amman Municipality recognized Jabal Amman as a 'heritage attraction point' and set forth plans to preserve and develop the historic hill. [cite web|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Street|title=Rainbow Street|accessdate=2008-06-12]

Location

is on the opposite side of the valley from Jabal Amman.

Architecture

Jabal Amman is renowned for its historic buildings and distinctive early 20th century architecture. When politicians and entrepreneurs moved into the neighborhood during the same time, they began to build houses, many of the houses featuring a single story and a large front porch running the entire front exposure of the building.cite book|title=Old Houses of Jordan|publisher=TURAB, 1997] Notable houses include:
* Jordan River Foundation House
* Al-Bilbeisi Houses
* Habboo and Akrawi House
* Al-Mufti House
* Jardaneh House
* Mango HouseNumerous businesses such as Books@Café, Old View Café, Jordan River Foundation, Wild Jordan, and Royal Jordan Film Commission inhabit these buildings today.

Jabal Amman Residents Association

Jabal Amman Residents Association (JARA) is an organization started in 2004 to preserve the neighborhood's deep history and promote cultural events. [cite web|url=http://jordantimes.com/?news=8125&searchFor=JARA|title=Jordan Times|publisher=Jordan Times, 2008|accessdate=2008-06-14] JARA hosts many of the outdoor markets in Jabal Amman. The most famous is Souk JARA (سوق جارا) that was established in 2005. [Official leaflets at Souk JARA itself]

ee also

* Downtown Amman
* Citadel Hill, Amman
* Mango Street
* Rainbow Street
* Jordan River Foundation
* Mango House
* Al-Mufti House

References