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Church mosaic map

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The mosaic map of Madaba located in the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George is considered the oldest pictorial map of Jordan, Palestine and Egypt and is described as a map of the Holy Land. It is one of the most beautiful churches in the world, and due to its prominent importance, the tourist pilgrimage route in Madaba starts from it, as it is listed among the Christian pilgrimage sites.  


The advantage of the Map Church is that it contains the oldest pictorial map of the Holy Land, as the map is part of a mosaic floor within an old Byzantine church dating back to the second half of the sixth century AD. It describes the Eastern Mediterranean region in the Byzantine era, and the city of Jerusalem is its center. It also shows several Sites in Palestine, Jordan, part of Egypt and southern Syria.


The original map area was 24 meters long and 6 meters wide, and it contains 2.6 million mosaic pieces in different colors, and each color has a symbol. It is the first tourist interface for the visitor in Madaba. It narrates the sacred history of Jordan and includes many places mentioned in the Bible, especially the Gospel of John, and provides comprehensive information. About Byzantine history. 


 The map highlighted the nature of Jordan, Palestine, and Egypt, and showed the city of Jerusalem, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and other areas such as “Bab al-Amud” in the Holy City. It also shows other cities such as Karak and Lod, and the natural terrain of valleys, mountains, and plains is also shown in the map. 


The tourist needs half an hour to view the map and enjoy an explanation of the history of the church. In the meantime, he sees the iron arches in front of the temple, then the icons and murals that embody the life of Christ from his birth until the crucifixion and resurrection. He also listens to information about the map and its landmarks, knowing that the monks spent Two and a half years in drawing.  


The map inside the church acquired a religious character during the Byzantine period in Jordan, and it remained a prominent cognitive landmark, but it was exposed to damage due to natural factors and earthquakes, and therefore its area lengthwise decreased to 15 meters.


The Map Church witnesses events and prayers on Sundays and Fridays throughout the year, and receives tourists for an entry fee of no more than one Jordanian dinar ($1.5).

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