Madaba mosaics

Travel tips you can trust

Why the
Madaba mosaics
are special

The classic Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics of this small town date back to the 5th to 7th centuries. One is world famous: The Madaba Map.

The Madaba Map

Size

Originally, the map measured about 16 by 6 meters (62 by 20 feet). Over a million tiles were used. Today, only slightly over a quarter of the map remains, but what does is remarkable.

Geographical coverage

The chart's reach once stretched from Lebanon to the Nile Delta. Now, a large portion of the northern half is missing. Fortunately, the star section - a detailed rendering of Jerusalem - is intact.

What saved it

A different mosaic layer was laid over the map. This unwittingly preserved the map for future generations. The map remained hidden until rediscovered in 1896. The "new" layer was removed, exposing what was left of the map.

More
Madaba mosaics
tips and insights

Other Madaba mosaics

You'll find them on the walls, floors, and/or ceilings in other local churches, as well as in the archaeological museum. St George's Church (where the Madaba map resides) also has a large number.

Easy day trip

This Hillman Wonder is only about 30 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of Amman, Jordan's capital.

Location in Jordan