A Guide to Church of the Map in Madaba, Jordan
You cannot travel through Madaba, Jordan and not to see St. George's Church alias Church of the Map with the iconic large mosaic on the floor. Here's our quick guide, so you will get the most of your visit.
Madaba is a city in Jordan well-known for churches, Byzantine and Umayyad-era mosaics, and archeological complexes.
Madaba's rich history, its proximity to the famous pilgrimage site Mount Nebo and a super-popular King's Highway, which will take visitors to the highlight of Jordan, the ancient Nabatean city of Petra, are the main reasons why the city is on every traveler's Jordan itinerary.
There are many things to do in Madaba, but the true Madaba's crown jewel is hidden on the floor of the Greek Orthodox Saint George's Church.
When we say that Madaba is famous for mosaics, there is one mosaic we have in mind in particular, which put the city on an international map.
The mosaic is so significant, that the church is also nicknamed the Church of the Map.
When standing in front of the map, you do not have to be a historian or a Christian to understand how unique the map is. It is even more impressive when you realize, that the map was once 15 to 25 meters long and six meters wide.
But even the fractions we can see nowadays, and the thousands of pieces (the original map was made of approximately two million pieces), which create the map made us appreciate the masterpiece.
The mosaic map here in Saint George's Church is the oldest map of Palestine of existence, but the map also depicts other biblical sites and important places such as Jerusalem, Gaza, Dead Sea or Nile Delta.
HISTORY OF ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH & MOSAIC
When we were getting nearer to St. George's Church, we could not but notice that the church looked quite new, which was weird as we were about to admire a mosaic from the 6th century.
And we were not far from the truth, because the Church of the Map was built in the 19th century.
A Byzantine Church used to stand on this very place, but because Madaba suffered from the earthquake in the 8th century and then abandoned, it was not until the 19th century, when the remnants were discovered.
In the 19th century, Christians were forced out of Karak by Muslims, and they resettled in Madaba. That's why during this period when the new residents were building their houses and churches, so many valuable artifacts such as mosaics, columns from the Roman period or remnants of the buildings were found.
The mosaic was crafted between the years 542 and 570, but its creator is still unknown.
The map suffered from the earthquake and fires, but still, after several centuries, it is one of the best examples of the Middle East map from Egypt to Palestine.
Once you are in the church done with examining the map, do not forget to admire the decorations on the walls - mosaic-like pictures, and visit a small museum which is in a room on the right side of the alter (mind your head, the ceiling here is low).
WHAT CAN YOU SEE ON THE MAP
Before you start reading a guide with an explanation of what you can see on the mosaic, it is fun to try for a while if you will be able to recognize something on own. But here is an important thing.
The mosaic situated in the apse of the church is not oriented northwards as you would expect.
So when you approach the map, you are standing on the west side, therefore the east is at the top end of the map, and the north is on your left side.
The mosaic map in the Saint George's Church until now amaze its visitors by its accuracy, some discoveries were even made thanks to this map.
In the center of the map, you will find a very detailed depiction of Jerusalem with a large number of significant structures and gates. Next to Jerusalem on the right side is Bethlehem, on the left side is Jacob's Well.
In the upper-middle part, you can see a large water reservoir with two boats - this is the Dead Sea from where fish swim in the Jordan River. Under the Jordan River can be spotted nowadays Palestine's city of Jericho.
On the very top part of the map is the Crusader’s Castle of Karak.
When you look on the right side of the map, you can recognize Mount Sinai by the multicolored mountains and below is Nile Delta with a few fish swimming into the Medditerean Sea. All the sites are labeled, but in Greek, so it is really better to have any kind of guide with you which will help you understand what you are looking at.
How much time do you need for visiting the Church of the Map? Well, we think that anything between 30 and 45 minutes is enough.
Travel Insurance
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OPENING HOURS
According to our information, St. George's Church is open year round from 8 AM to 5 PM in the winter months from November till March, and until 6 PM in the summer between April and October.
Opening hours can vary sometimes on Fridays and Sundays, and also when special occasions such as weddings or masses take place. You can attend the mass, but during this time the mosaic is not accessible.
In case you plan on spending a night in Madaba, you should be always able to visit the Church of the Map either on the day of your arrival or the next day.
ENTRANCE FEE
St. George's Church is not included in the Jordan Pass, so you need to pay extra fee for the entrance. It is possible to buy a ticket for 1 JD per person in a small office slash shop outside the church on the right side.
Except for Petra (which is included in the Jordan Pass), we found entrance fees to Jordan's top sights pretty low, although we think that this attraction should be also included in the Jordan Pass, especially when other places in Madaba such as Archeological Parks joined the initiative.
In the office, you can also buy a souvenir, and you can also learn here a bit more about the map and what you can find on the map as it is not that easy to figure out what you are looking at.
In the shop, you can either buy a pamphlet explaining more facts about the map and the history, or we found pretty useful having Jordan Lonely Planet guidebook, where everything we could see was described briefly but understandably.
HOW TO GET TO CHURCH OF THE MAP
We rented a car directly at the airport and drove immediately to Madaba from the Queen Alia Airport. The drive itself took between 20 and 30 minutes.
Greek Orthodox Basilica of Saint George is located on the K. Talal Street in the historical part of Madaba near the majority of the tourist hotels, which means, that the church is easily accessible on foot.
When you are in Amman and don't want to drive to Madaba by yourself, you might consider this Private Half-Day Tour to Madaba and Mount Nebo.
WHERE TO STAY IN MADABA
Madaba's city center is very compact, and you should be able to find a hotel there that suits your needs and budget and which is also close to Saint George's Church.
It is the top attraction in the city, so make sure you will visit it as soon as you can.
We think Madaba deserves at least a few hours of your time, so we've picked three best hotels in the city, so you will have a nice sleep before driving the King's Highway the next day.
Budget | Madaba Hotel - This recently renovated hotel offers great service for budget travelers. One of the top features is the location, only meters away from Madaba's best attraction, St. George's Church.
Mid-range | Grand Hotel Madaba - We stayed in this hotel, and for the price, we possibly could not choose a better place. Rooms are clean, the bathroom is modernly furnished and the selection of breakfast is great. This hotel is about five minutes walk from the city center and offers parking on the street. The staff in the hotel was friendly and super-helpful.
Mid-range | Mosaic City Hotel - Great location, friendly atmosphere, tasty breakfast, and helpful staff are the main features in this hotel. It is worth it to ask for a room with a balcony facing the garden.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
