Ministry working to connect old, new Jerash

JERASH — The Tourism Ministry is working on linking Jerash's old and modern parts in a bid to extend tourists' stay at the city, Mohammad Al Deek, Jerash tourism director, said on Sunday.

"The studies of the project are in their final phase, and once they are accomplished, the ministry will begin implementing it in 2016," Deek told The Jordan Times in an interview.

The project entails building a gate at the paved road "Decumanus", which already exists and once connected the two sides of Jerash, some 48km north of Amman, during the Roman era. 

The ministry also plans to install a traffic light at the modern street (Wasfi Tal Street) that intersects with the ancient road to provide safer crossing for visitors and make all parts of the city more accessible.

Also within the project, the authorities will rehabilitate several facilities and areas, such as the Roman Bridge and its vicinity, redevelop the Hashemite courtyard and clean the Decumanus. 

Deek noted that four shops will be opened at the Hashemite courtyard and will be run by local residents to enable them to sell local products and handicrafts, in turn creating more job opportunities.

The ministry, in cooperation with the Greater Jerash Municipality, has already finished repaving and rehabilitating several streets and pavements in the modern part of Jerash in preparation for the connection project, Deek added.

"The project comes as part of the ministry's plan to extend tourists' stay in Jerash, which usually does not exceed two to three hours, and integrate the local community in the tourism process to create more jobs and fight unemployment," the official concluded.

According to archaeologists, the modern city of Jerash lies on top of the eastern side of the ancient Roman city, which means that the archaeological park usually visited by tourists is only the western part. 

The eastern side, however, offers some surviving Roman monuments, such as the Great Eastern Bath which stands amidst the modern buildings.