Things to see and do Bethanie (Al-Maghtas)

On our last visit, the tour only included the place where Jesus was baptized (from "Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste") and the Jordan River.

Tell Elias, the place where the prophet Elijah is said to have ascended to heaven on a chariot of fire. An arch, built in 1999, stands on the site of a church dating from the ^4th and^5th centuries.

A prayer hall stands a few metres further on, with fragments of mosaics on the floor. Dating from the ^3rd century, this is the oldest building on the site and one of the earliest Christian sanctuaries discovered to date.

The grotto of St. John the Baptist is located on a hill overlooking the Jordan River, next to a monastery built in the^5th century. It was converted into a church in the early days of Christianity. The mosaics covering the floor of the nave are damaged but precious. Greek inscriptions date the building. The church to the west of the hill dates from the same period. Nearby caves, probably frequented by hermits, attest to the presence and role of the monastery. Also visible are a well, a cistern, drains and several basins used by pilgrims who came to be baptized.

Tothe west, some 800 m away, are the remains of a Byzantine building dating from the^5th or ^6th century, possibly a pilgrim dormitory, with a large pool holding 300 people. Next, you'll discover John the Baptist's spring, one of the many places where the saint is said to have baptized his disciples.

The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste. The walk takes you along a shady path, surrounded by lush vegetation, which runs alongside the Wadi al-Kharrar, a tributary of the Jordan River. The path leads to the ruins of several churches. One of these is the ^6th-century Church of St. John the Baptist, of which little remains. It was built on the ruins of a^5th-century church, itself built on the ruins of a ^4th-century church, swept away by floods or earthquakes common at the time. These churches flanked the baptismal font, which was accessed via a cross-shaped staircase. It is estimated that the site was home to some fifteen churches. Excavations are still continuing.

The Jordan River. You then reach the Jordan River. Don't expect a spectacular river. It's just a muddy stream, sometimes almost dry. On the other bank floats the Israeli flag. The river's importance is above all historical and symbolic, as is this visit.

The Baptism of Christ site has a high price tag for Jordanian standards. The area on the border with Israel is under military control and the visit is extremely restricted. For that price, you get a guide (English commentary) and transportation by minibus to the baptism site and the Jordan River. The shuttle leaves when it is full, at most every 30 minutes. The tour takes between 1.5 and 2 hours, depending on whether or not the people accompanying you decide to dive into the river.