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Mount Nebo
Mount Nebo is a ten-minute drive from Madaba. From the Visitors Center, take Palestine Street and follow the signs to Siyagha (Nebos name in Arabic).
Possibly the most revered site in Jordan, Mount Nebo is the location of Pisgah, where Moses is presumed to have died and been buried.
A small church was built on the spot by early Christians at least as early as 393 AD, and was gradually expanded. By the 7th Century, it was a vast Byzantine complex, to which pilgrims came from far and wide. The pilgrimage route started in Jerusalem and passed through Jericho, Ayun Moussa (the springs of Moses) and Mount Nebo, ending with a restorative bath in natural hot springs at Hammamat Ma'in.
Of the 4th Century structure, only a few limestone blocks remain (outside the present building), along with some mosaic floor. Most notable is a cross near the altar, which marked the spot where the death of Moses was commemorated.
Since 1933, the sanctuary has been under continuous excavation and restoration work by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land.
Working hours: from 7:30 am up to 7:00 pm summer time and winter time close at 4:00 pm.
Fees JD 2
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The View
From a platform in front of the church you can take in the same breathtaking view across the green swathe of the Jordan Valley and the glittering Dead Sea. On a clear day, rooftops of Jerusalem and Bethlehem are visible.
The bronze memorial of a snake on a cross is by Gian Paolo Fantoni of Florence. It symbolizes the serpent lifted up by Moses in the desert, and well as the crucifixion of Jesus.
According to Jesus himself, The Son Of God must be lifted up as the serpent was lifted up by Moses in the wilderness, so that everyone who has faith in him may posses eternal life. (John 3:14-15).
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