Travel Guide Umm Qais (Gadara)

27 km northwest of Irbid and more than 100 km from Amman is the archaeological site of Umm Qais. Called Gadara in ancient times, but also Antioch and Seleucia, the city was part of the Greco-Roman Decapolis. Less impressive than Gerasa, the site is also much less crowded, which makes for a very pleasant visit among the ruins of black basalt and white limestone. From Umm Qais, one can see both the Jordan Valley, Israel and Lake Tiberias, and the Golan Heights. This strategic location led Umm Qais to be at the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict in 1967. The village and the ancient city were heavily bombed during the Israeli conquest of the Golan Heights. The village was heavily destroyed and the site damaged. But it also allowed the discovery of an underground mausoleum placed under the basilica and which served as a field hospital during the fighting. In 1986, the 1,500 inhabitants agreed to leave their homes in exchange for compensation from the Ministry of Tourism. The former ghost village is now integrated into the ancient site of Gadara. At the same time, the modern village of Umm Qais has developed further away.