Travel Guide Mont Nebo

According to the Bible, it was from this mountain, 800 m above sea level, that Moses contemplated the Promised Land, which God had forbidden him to enter. The prophet died there at the age of 120 and was buried in the vicinity. However, the exact location of the burial site remains unknown to this day. A basilica was built there in 393 on the summit by the first Byzantine Christians. From the 7th century onwards, the site became a place of pilgrimage for pilgrims from all over the world, both Jews and Christians. The pilgrimage started from Jerusalem, passed through Jericho, Ayun Musa ("the falls of Moses"), Mount Nebo and ended with a bath in the hot springs of Ma'in. The Franciscans of the Holy Land purchased the site in 1936 and excavated the ruins of the church, which had been buried for over three centuries. The excavations revealed a three-aisled basilica covered with incredible mosaics, which can still be admired today. The mosaic designs depicted scenes of pastoral life (as in most Madaba churches) and animals. In addition to the historical interest of the place, from the top of Mount Nebo there is a superb view of the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea (1,200 metres below).