Khaberni - The Amman Heritage Committee conducted a visit to the archaeological site of Jabal Al-Qal'a to follow up on the progress of the proposed development projects and discuss ways to list archaeological sites in the city on the World Heritage List.
The visit was led by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Yazan Al-Khudair, with the participation of the Director General of the Department of Antiquities, Fawzi Abu Dunia, the Deputy Director of the City for Public Works in the Greater Amman Municipality, Nabil Al-Jariri, alongside a number of specialists and engineers from both the public and private sectors.
The efforts of this committee are part of the ongoing government efforts to enhance Amman's status on the World Heritage List, reaffirming the commitment of the government, represented by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Department of Antiquities, and the Greater Amman Municipality, to preserve and develop the Kingdom's cultural heritage, thereby reinforcing the position of archaeological sites as global tourist destinations while maintaining their historical and archaeological value.
During the inspection tour, Al-Khudair emphasized the need for effective and ongoing coordination between all relevant entities to ensure that the development projects support the archaeological and heritage protection of the site, and that any work should be done in a manner that does not conflict with the historical and archaeological values of the sites. He pointed out that the ministry pays special attention to the file of listing the archaeological sites in Amman on the World Heritage List.
Al-Khudair added that the integrated work between the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Department of Antiquities, and the Greater Amman Municipality forms a fundamental cornerstone for the success of development projects, which contributes to improving visitors' experience, enhancing the sustainability of archaeological sites, and highlighting the cultural heritage of the city of Amman in a manner that maintains its authenticity and meets international standards.
In his turn, Abu Dunia presented an overview of the results of archaeological excavations carried out by the Directorate of Antiquities of the capital's governorate at the archaeological site of Jabal Al-Qal'a, affirming the pivotal role of the department in the technical supervision of all archaeological and developmental works.
He emphasized the need to adhere to public safety standards when using machinery near the archaeological and heritage walls to ensure the safety of archaeological discoveries and preserve the architectural fabric of the site.
For his part, Al-Jariri explained that the municipality is working on a comprehensive urban study of the surroundings of Jabal Al-Qal'a, taking into account the urban character and existing heritage fabric. He stressed the importance of the proposed cable car project and the necessity of considering its construction phases before planning tourist pathways, to ensure the integration of the projects.
Mohammad Abu Zaitoon, the Executive Director for the Development of Amman's Neighborhoods and Tourist Paths in the Greater Amman Municipality, presented a detailed presentation on the plans for the development of the proposed tourist paths, aimed at connecting Jabal Al-Qal'a with the city center and the ancient Roman theater. The presentation included the project to develop Hisham Khair Street by expanding the sidewalks to transform it into a tourist street, as well as discussions on developing the facades of commercial shops and regulating building rules in the surrounding area, rehabilitating the Nymphs’ Fountain site to include it in the tourist path, and redeveloping the adjacent Waterfall Park at the site of Jabal Al-Qal'a.
