文明交會的前線-約旦傑拉什古城。 @ My Very Own World

圓形廣場Oval Plaza

The civil convergence in the frontline-About Jerash City in Jordan.

玩好阿傑隆城堡後，回到入口的守衛室，請保全幫忙打個電話叫車上山來載我去傑拉什城，計程車一路飛快跑去，感覺不到30分鐘就到了，車資約45約旦幣(Dinar)，我覺得算我便宜了，因為路途不近，而且巴士也沒有跑這條路線。

After I finished the tour at Ajlun Castle,I walked back to the security cabin and asked the guards to help call in the taxi.My cabby drove me to Jerash in 30 minutes,faster than it should be.The fare was about 45 dinars.It wasn't expensive after considering the long distance,besides,There's no bus service on this route.

傑拉什城四周已是市區，旁邊有飯店、餐廳、還有一間遊樂場，門票入口處前還有商場，販賣各式紀念品。建議走過馬路另一邊的餐廳用餐，簡餐、快餐多種選擇，而且價格親民，商場裡面就較貴些。

The archaeological park is in the Jerash city adjacent to hotels,restaurants,and an amusement park.A shopping mall even links to the entrance ticket booth,which sells diverse souvenirs to tourists.I recommend to go to the opposite road for those fast-food restaurants there.You'd be getting more to choose from.It was expensive in dining at the mall/market.

跟司機問好等下要回安曼市區的巴士站在那裡等後，就進入玩了。

After making sure where to wait for the bus back to Ammam,I went directly into the site.

古城外市區的遊樂場The amusement park outside of Jerash site.

古城範圍算廣大，四周都用鐵網圍起來，要從商場進入才會到售票口。

The whole archaeological site is surrounded by steel nets(walls),thus,the proper way to enter is to go through the market to reach the ticket booth.

園區地圖The map of the archaeological park.

進入入口走上階梯，一眼就看到知名的哈良德門，精緻宏偉的古城大門，讓我感覺，盡管今天耗上奔波的時間，這景點一開始就值回票價，與羅馬的古城大門氣勢上不遑多讓，重點很多，還好我今天將時間儘量留給傑拉什城，忽然覺得今天很幸福。

On the moment of stepping into the stairs leading to Hadrian's Gate,I felt all the hassle that I had gone through today was nothing ,compared to the sweet triumph of seeing this delicate and majestic Roman gate.Luckily,I left most of my time here today, and all of sudden ,I felt so happy and well-being ,by the glancing at Hadrian's Gate.

哈德良門Hadrian's Gate

哈德良門是三拱門的紀念碑，紀念羅馬皇帝哈德良來訪，是世上僅存最大的羅馬帝國時期的拱形大門，柱子有茴香葉的雕花裝飾，風格有受到希臘文化的影響，這裡也是往南門外面的紀念碑。

Hadrian's Gate was a monument to recommemortate the emperor's visit.It is now the largest arched gate still remains since Roman period.The top of each column was decorated with the sculpture of acanthus leaves,which is one of the evidences in Greek influences.Hadrian's Gate is also the outer monument leading to the South gate.

哈德良門Hadrian's Gate

傑拉什古城是個考古豐富的場地，要有耐心好好觀玩一番，進入哈德良門後，就是管理和旅客休息區，可以把握時間上上廁所和買些飲料。再來就要進入南門了。

Jerash old city is an Archaeological park full of abundant relics.It'd taken me a lot of time in touring around.After passing through Hadrian's Gate,I stepped into the management and tourists' resting area,in where I went to buy some water and use their restroom.After the short break,I went to the inner 2nd gate-the South Gate.

園區遊客中心The visitor Center

過了南門，眼前就是一條筆直的道路，左手邊是建於西元220-749的賽馬和競技場(已是世上規模最小一個)，每天有2次古羅馬戰士競技場賽馬表演，需要當場買票，我時間上趕不及觀看，不過日照也太狠了，所以並沒有覺得可惜。右手邊有建於西元570-749的馬利安諾基督教堂。

On the road to the South gate,there is a long sport field on the left hand side,which is a Hippodorme built in 220-749 AD.(It's also the smallest one in the world).
The management department holds a live performance of middle-aged gladiators' combat 2 times per day,but you need to buy the admission ticket on the spot aparted from the park ticket.But I didn't go to watch for I couldn't catch up the time,besides,the sun was so fierce,so I didn't feel regrets.
On the right hand side,there is a church,the Church of Marianos built in 570-749 A.D.But the church is so far gone,I only got to see the dilapidated ruins,and that I couldn't make out anything out of it.

往南門(第二道門)Heading to the 2nd inner gate(The South Gate)

南門The South Gate

傑拉什古城的南門是向著安曼市區的方向，安曼古名就叫做費城，跟美國的費城同名，我覺得很有趣。

The exit of the South Gate is pointing to the direction of Ammam City,the capital of Jordan.I think Ammam's old name is coincedence funny to have the same name as US "Philidelphia".

競技場Hippodrome

由南往北門的街道上，會有一規模廣大的圓形廣場，廣場旁有希臘主神宙斯的主廟，這間是我這一陣子以來，第一次有參觀到宙斯的祭祀廟宇，看到這裡就已經感覺傑拉什古城當時的建設非常有企圖心，此地離羅馬帝國核心已經算是很遠了，羅馬皇帝還來巡視，可見其份量非常不同，西方文化浸潤當地又深又廣，相當是整個異族文明整廠輸出到這個古城。

After entering the South Gate,I reached to the Oval Plaza circled by a series of stone columns.A cut of the plaza led to the small hill, where the ruins of Temple of Zeus were on top of it.It is the first time I got to visit God Zeus' temple for these few years. I could even sense the ambition of the building of Jerash before I went deeper into the city,by its majestic and complete layout so far.Jerash is far from the core of Roman Empire,and yet it got the emperor -Hadrian came to visit,which made this city show its importance without doubts.Quite obviously that western culture accompanied with Emperor Hadrian exported to Middle East,it's the way of building colonies,and which made the roots of western civilization planted deep and broad.

橢圓廣場Oval Plaza

橢圓廣場周圍列柱The colonnade at Oval Plaza

山丘上的宙斯廟已經頹廢，巨大的圓柱斷裂成好幾段，散落在山坡地上，廟體成為巨石空殼，宙斯是希臘諸神的領袖，我以為會比希臘雅典娜的廟更大，雖然這廟規模不小，但好像沒有更宏偉，
然而想拍照的人，可以稍微大膽的爬上斷垣殘壁上，身影角度的構圖應該不差。

The Temple of Zeus had been long gone in a thousand years.The gigantic broken columns are scattered casually on the ground,and the body of the temple is a hallow.The temple is totally a ruins.The run-down situation was resulted from earthquakes in old time.
I had thought that ,since Zeus is the leading God of all Gods in Greece,His shrine should be the largest and the most grandeur in all Olympic Gods',even better than Athena's in Greece,but it isn't.It still looks big though.
However,for those who are daring and like to shoot pictures,climb up on top of the remaining walls or columns might be a good angle for taking photos.

廣場中心點望去的宙斯神殿遺址The Temple of Zeus viewed from the center column as a center at the Oval Plaza.

宙斯神廟遺址The Temple of Zeus

橢圓廣場連接主要幹道the Cardo一直通往北門去，共800公尺長，其間有兩個十字路口，其餘場所或街道就從主幹道向兩旁發展開來，這就是傑拉什古城的主要城市分佈設計。

Oval Plaza connects the Cardo protracting to the North Gate.The Cardo is about 800 meters long, there are 2 intersections in it,and the rest of the buildings branching out from it.This is the main layout of Jerash.

通往the Cardo的入口 The entrance to the Cardo at Oval Plaza.

雖然古蹟如今已是風霜殘敗，在我還原想像中，是這樣的:
廣場用巨形柱環繞，主幹大道上的兩旁也是巨柱陳列，又高又大的柱子上，又有雕刻的巨石橫梁上有精美的彩繪，串聯了整條路，真是太過宏偉了，真是讚歎，勘可以擬羅馬帕拉丁山丘的貴族宅區，當然不是真的比得過，只是當下被震攝住了一點。

The city had been withered brutally through time,but in my imagination,it'd look like this:
The columns are beautifully decorated with carvings and painted with colorful pictures,large,and tall,surrounding the Oval Plaza and all the way down to the Cardo's end to the North Gate.The whole arrangement of columns is so majestic,so grand,and so invincible,even Palatin Hill in Rome ,where royal lives couldn't compete.
Of course,Jerash isn't that shining to blind me.I was just stunned by my first glance at it.

主幹道The Cardo

主幹道列柱The Colonnades at Cardo

歲月的摧殘是有生必死的定律，地上的石板已經高低不齊，又硬又坑坑疤疤，要穿好的運動鞋，不然可就要走到腳痛。往南門大道卻是很氣派的羅馬帝國馬路，有馬車的痕跡，有地下排水系統，兩旁神廟、商店、浴場、教堂等等建物林立，更有歌劇院等設施，城市建設非常完善，幾乎是集中版的龐貝城，難怪號稱是"保存最完善的古羅馬城"。

Nothing can stand against time.Gradually the stone paved ground was rugged and hard to causally walk on it without a good pair of sneakers.However,the Cardo is still showing its magnificence imposed with the greatness of Roman Empire .
The Cardo is a standard infrastruction of Roman Empire.The wheel ruts cut into the ground ,a well-designed sewage system built underground,temples,stores,bathhouses, Christian churches,and even an amphitheater,which means the city was developed under delicated cares.It's almost like an concentrated version of Pompei.I think that is why Jerash gets the reputation as "The most well-preserved Roman city in the world".

Cardo上第一個十字路口的凱旋門遺跡The Tetrapylon remains at the first intersection on Cardo.

主幹道的羅馬列柱上有石頭橫樑連接，在古時，其上有彩繪，特色是圓柱頂以茴香菜葉裝飾，柱子分成幾段接上，每塊石柱中心有支軸互相接連而上，石柱非常高聳，因此有風吹日子，石柱會輕移飄動，算是一種防震建法，當地小販邊講解，邊示範，將鑰匙插入石柱與石柱之間的縫隙，接著用手推動石柱，就可觀察到鑰匙隨著石柱上下移動，難怪四周屋舍建物都在地震下倒塌，這些石柱卻還能屹立不斷。

The horizontal stones ,which now are gone,put upon each column and links each other in old times.They were painted with pretty pictures.The top of each column was also ornated with scuptured acanthus leaves.Each column was connected piece by piece with pivots on the core,which not just making them tall,but also creating earthquake-proofed effects.
Thus,in windy days,these columns would be slightly swayed by the wind force.In order to prove that,the vendor showed me by sticking a key into the connecting crack of one column,and then pushed the column by his bare hands.Vola ! the key started to move up and down,and this is so amazing.But it also demonstrated the reason why these columns survived from the devastating earthquake hundreds of years ago crystally clear.

列柱與其橫樑The Columns and their horizontal beams

沿著主大道的兩旁有許多中古世紀的建築遺跡，可以慢慢一一探訪，中間有座建於6世紀的拜占庭教堂，走上階梯遊蕩其中可以感受到原始規模的偉大，原本是祭拜酒神的神廟，是經過當時主教Placcus轉換信仰慢慢增建而來，石塊建材還來自附近的宙斯廟，他還建了一座以他為名的公共浴場，可知當時羅馬帝國的信仰由希臘多神教轉換成信仰唯一主的羅馬天主教。

Many artifacts are scattered on both sides of the Cardo.I spent my time slowly in touring among them.There is a Byzantin church built in 6th century.I climbed up the stairs to find out its large scale.It was originally a temple of Greek wine God,Dionysos,but the bishop,Placcus slowly transformed it into a Christian church.He even removed the stone materials from nearby Temple of Zeus to reform it ,and also built a new bathhouse named after him.
This demonstrated the time of Roman religions' changes from multi-deities to Roman Christian God.

拜占庭教堂Byzantin church

教堂在大道的前面有一噴水池，精美異常，再往下走到北門前會到另一十字路口，紀念凱旋門很高大並且保存良好，這類的紀念碑有四個門，也就是Tetrapylon的字源意思，再下去沒多久，就是北門，也是終點了。
There is a landmark-the Fountain,right beside the entrance to the Church.The Fountain is very delicate built.Keep going,I reached the 2nd tetrapylon close to the North Gate.The Tetrapylon has 4 doors,and that is also the meaning of this word.This one is preserved very well,better than the 1st one that closes to the South Gate.Going on,then it's the North Gate,which is also the end of the Cardo.

噴水池The Fountain

大道南北門附近各有一歌劇院，都保存良好，也有當地藝人表演，欣賞後可以給一點費用。
There are 2 amphitheaters in Jerash City,one closes to the South Gate,the other is to the North Gate.Both are well-preserved.I encountered with a small team of domestic performers playing Ireland folk music with windpipes instruments at the South theater.Ha,I didn't tip them,because I ran away before they stopped playing music.

北劇院The Northern Theater

南劇院The Southern Theater

站在山坡環顧四周，牧羊人放任群羊在青翠山坡地吃草嬉戲，和風吹撫臉龐，心情大好，只是良辰美景終有盡頭的一天，也該搭巴士車回飯店了，路程約1小時，上車再付錢給司機即可，搭車點在出口遊樂場再過去一條街，看到有人在路旁招呼就知道了，巴士司機儘量等載多一點人才會出發，到了市區，我的巴士卻輪胎破了，不過司機馬上用手機叫另一輛來接，所以我跟另一名熱心的乘客一起搭回巴士北站，到站才轉搭計程車回到飯店，結束另一個美好的一天。

The shepherd was resting aside,while his sheep grazing grass randomly on the slope of the hill.Looking around the green hill with the warm,soft breeze caressing my face,I felt so mood lighted.However,time was approaching the end of today's schedule and I couldn't even bring back home with a tiny piece of this picturesque scenery,no matter how pretty it was.

I slowly walked to the bus stop ,where was on the next roadside against the amusement park.It was easy to recognize it without much hassle,for there were men yelling to passengers.The bus driver would like to start the engine before he could load up more people.It would take about 1 hour back to Ammam city.

石板路The cobbled ground

But my bus got a flat tire just when it entered Ammam city area.Fear not,he immediately called in other bus to substitute,and I got on the next bus to get back to the Northern Bus Station(Tabarbour Bus Station),from where I took a taxi to my hotel.And this was another beautiful day in my journey.