In the streets of Downtown, history weaves its tales, and among its old alleys and lanes, narratives and stories are written. So why do we focus today on talking about Downtown?
Administratively, Downtown is referred to as the City District, one of the oldest downtown areas in Amman. It is Area No. 1 in the organization of the Greater Amman Municipality. Downtown consists of 9 neighborhoods: Jabal Al Qal'a, Jabal Al Jofeh, Wadi Al Haddadeh, Wadi Al Saroor, Al Hashmi Al Janoubi, Hay Al Mahajireen, Ar Rajoum, Al Madrasa, and Al Adliya.
As its name suggests, Downtown is situated at the heart of the capital, Amman, connecting between various neighborhoods. To the north, it is bordered by the Basman and Al Abdali areas via Jordan Street and Istiqlal Street. To the south, it is bordered by areas such as Ras Al Ain, Al Yarmouk, and Badr through 30th Street and Al Quds Street. To the east, it borders Marka, Al Yarmouk, and Al Nasr areas via Al Quds Street. To the west, it intersects with areas like Al Abdali, Zuhairan, and Badr via the Police College Street.
- Downtown's history dates back to the 2nd century AD when the Roman Theater was built, located within one of Amman's seven hills.
- The first urban project in Downtown was the Al Husseini Mosque built in 1923.
- The Raghadan Palace was the first royal palace built for the Hashemite family in 1924 opposite the Roman Theater.
- The first Amiri Diwan (Royal Court) building for the founder of Jordan, King Abdullah I, is located in Downtown.
- Downtown houses the first building of the Jordanian Post Office.
- It hosts the Prince Naif Bin Abdullah Palace, which has been transformed into a cultural center named Beit Al Shayir (House of Poetry).
- The Philadelphia Hotel was the first luxury hotel in Downtown at that time.
Since the early 20th century, Downtown has been the heart of Amman. When you visit Downtown today, you will feel like you are in old Amman. Everything there tells its ancient tale, and Downtown's markets narrate stories of the old Amman residents! Downtown was the commercial heart of Amman for a long time, where people gathered to meet all their needs and requirements. It was not only a place for Amman residents, but many people settled there due to its active economic scene with significant trade movement.
Today, Downtown strives to preserve its ancient identity while modernizing its markets to take on a modern market character, through renovating old buildings into luxury cafes and restaurants, opening bazaars featuring Eastern artifacts and traditional clothes, alongside antique shops and historical artifacts.
Downtown is connected to many important areas through major streets, as discussed earlier. What distinguishes these connections with these areas is the ease of access, some of them reachable on foot through Amman's stairs or through main important streets.
Downtown is connected with Jabal Amman by foot through the Asfur stairs, linking between Ma'ad ibn Jabal Street and Kharfan Street parallel to the famous Rainbow Street. If we take the main streets, we find 9 Sha'ban Street connecting between Downtown and Jabal Amman at the first roundabout, intersecting directly with Rainbow Street.
Jabal Al-Weibdeh merges with Downtown through the famous Al-Kilha stairs. This stairway, used by many people to travel between Downtown and Jabal Al-Weibdeh, is located at Nimer Al-Edwan Street, specifically, enhancing tourist traffic in both areas.
As for the connection between Downtown and Al-Abdali, it is almost a real fusion between two important streets in Downtown, King Faisal Street and King Ghazi Street, which meet directly with King Hussein Street. This intersection is crucial as it means Downtown's connection with the main neighborhoods of Al-Abdali, namely Shmeisani, Sports City, Jabal Al-Weibdeh, and Jabal Al-Hussein.
The Al-Husseini Mosque was the cornerstone for revitalizing architecture in Downtown, and the prevailing real estate character in Downtown was a unique Islamic heritage, starting with the Al-Husseini Mosque, which laid the foundation for architecture in Downtown. Subsequently, Raghadan Palace, the Philadelphia Hotel, and various other commercial market buildings followed suit. At that time, Downtown wasn't conducive to residential living and building housing units. However, due to its commercial and economic significance, people began to flock to live in the surrounding areas of Downtown, which later became the neighborhoods comprising Downtown. Hence, it was characterized by a different urban character compared to other areas of Amman, which can be observed through the following list of real estate categories for all areas of Amman:
- Apartments for Sale in Amman
- Residential Lands for Sale in Amman
- Commercial Lands for Sale in Amman
- Commercial Complexes for Sale in Ramadan
- Residential Buildings for Sale in Amman
- Warehouses for Rent in Amman
- Commercial Villas for Sale in Ramadan
- Farms and Chalets for Sale in Amman
- Apartments for Rent in Amman
- Residential Lands for Rent in Amman
- Commercial Lands for Sale in Amman
- Commercial Complexes for Rent in Ramadan
- Residential Buildings for Rent in Amman
- Warehouses for Rent in Amman
- Commercial Villas for Rent in Ramadan
- Farms and Chalets for Rent in Amman
Downtown embraces the most significant historical and archaeological landmarks in Amman and Jordan as a whole, and we can't help but discuss these landmarks in separate sections.
The history of Downtown dates back to the Roman Empire when Emperor Antoninus Pius visited Amman in 130 AD. At that time, Philadelphia was the name given to Amman. The Roman Theater was built in honor of this Roman Emperor, becoming an iconic Roman archaeological landmark in Downtown Amman, bearing witness to civilizations spanning centuries from the 2nd century until the 21st century! The Roman Theater is situated within the Seven Hills of Amman, on the slope of the Jabal Al Jofeh hill opposite the Jabal Al Qal'a, both of which are neighborhoods within the City District. Today, the Roman Theater has been revitalized by hosting concerts and various activities, as it did in its heyday. Additionally, the Hashemite Plaza has been prepared for visitors and tourists to enjoy the history of Downtown.
Located on King Talal Street, the Al-Husseini Mosque was built in 1923 during the reign of King Abdullah I bin Al-Hussein. It was the first urban project in Amman built in the Islamic style, constructed on the ruins of the Umayyad Mosque. The Al-Husseini Mosque retains its historical and Islamic significance in Amman to this day, witnessing a continuous influx of worshippers and visitors.
Situated on King Faisal Street, the Duke's Diwan was constructed in 1924 AD. It was selected by the Central Post of the Transjordan government to be its headquarters. In the late 1940s, it was transformed into the Haifa Hotel. Today, it is one of the important historical sites welcoming visitors daily to explore the history of Downtown.
Located on Hashemi Street, adjacent to the Roman Theater, it is surrounded by spacious courtyards where people can sit and spend leisure time. The Greater Amman Municipality provides municipal services that contribute to the development and improvement of areas in Amman.
The streets of Downtown are mostly important main streets connecting it to many key areas. Some have been renovated and transformed into vibrant streets for tourism and leisure, such as Rainbow Street. The list of Downtown streets includes:
- King Ghazi Street
- Hashemi Street
- King Talal Street
- Sha'ban Street
- Omar Al Khayam Street
- King Hussein Street - Salt
- Prince Mohammad Street
- Ma'ad ibn Jabal Street
- Nimer Al Edwan Street
Today, at Homes Jordan, we strive to provide a comprehensive view of all the different areas of Amman, facilitating the decision-making process for our esteemed clients regarding purchasing or renting various properties. Additionally, we offer support services from a specialized team of engineering and real estate consultants.
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