Mount Nebo is the most revered holy site in Jordan for Christians. It lies in Western Jordan 820 meters above sea level.
Here, according to the Bible, Moses was shown the Promised Land after wandering the desert for 40 years. Those familiar with the Old Testament know that Moses would never enter the Promised Land. On a clear day, the views from Mount Nebo show the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, Jericho and Jerusalem.
Mount Nebo
Early Christians from Jerusalem made Mount Nebo a place of pilgrimage. In the 4th century, monk’s built a church atop Mount Nebo. Today, visitors can see remnants of that church on the site. Early pilgrims to the site were shown an empty tomb of Moses at the site. While there is some evidence that Moses lived out hid final days on Mount Nebo there is no evidence that he was buried at the site.
In the 6th century, monks built a Byzantine monastery on the site which lasted for almost 600 years.
Today, Mount Nebo is managed by Franciscan Monks and a new church, the Moses Memorial Church sits atop the mountain. The Franciscan Monks took over the site in 1993 and began its restoration. The new church houses Byzantine mosaics from the ancient churches that once stood on the site and is open to visitors.
Outside the present-day church stands a serpentine cross monument. It was created by Italian Artist, Giovanni Fantoni and it merges the Moses’ bronze serpent with the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.
Pope John Paul II visited in 2000 and Pope Benedict XVI visited in 2009.
Mount Nebo Visitor Hours:
Price: 1 JD (Included in Jordan Pass)
How to get here: Mount Nebo is located 26 kilometres from Amman and is 10 minutes by car from Madaba. The easiest way to visit is with a rental car or on a tour.
Lindsay fell in love with Jordan when she first visited in 2016. She now goes back every year to explore more of this special place. Lindsay is also the owner of Amman Food Tours, a social enterprise that is women-owned and hires local female guides. This project provides meaningful employment for women in Amman.