As everyone knows, the Jordan Valley has played a prominent role in the stories of the Bible, so it comes as no surprise to learn that Jordan is home to many important religious sites for Jews and Christians.

Bethany Beyond the Jordan
From ancient times, this valley has been one of the most fertile places in the middle east and it has been home to many many civilizations. It is also full of biblical lore. Across the river from Jericho, for example is a place called Bethany Beyond the Jordan. This is the place where John The Baptist lived, preached against Herod Antipas' impending marriage, and where he baptized new converts to his beliefs--including Jesus. A hill behind Bethany on the Jordan is called Tell Mar Elias ( St. Elijah's Hill, and folk wisdom tells us that it was from this hill that the prophet Elijah ascended to heaven. On this hill are the remains of a Byzantine monastery, with large baptismal pools.

Mount Nebo
This is the place where Moses first laid eyes on The Promised Land. It is also the place where according to legend, he lived and was buried, as he never actually crossed the River Jordan and entered that land. The site was of major importance to the Byzantine Christians and excavations have unearthed a hugh monastic complex here.

Madaba
The trip south from Amman along the 5,000-year-old King's Highway is one of the most memorable journeys in the Holy Land, passing through a string of ancient sites. The first city you come upon is Madaba, "the City of Mosaics".

Madaba's chief attraction - in the contemporary Greek Orthodox church of St. George - is a wonderfully vivid, 6th century Byzantine mosaic map showing Jerusalem and other holy sites. With two million pieces of coloured stone, and a full 25 x 5 metres in its original state - most of which can still be seen today - the map depicts hills and valleys, villages and towns, as far away as the Nile Delta. This masterpiece is unrivalled in Jordan, but there are literally dozens of other mosaics from the 5th through the 7th centuries, scattered throughout Madaba's churches and homes.

Lot's Cave
Located near the modern town of Safi, it was in this cave that Lot and his daughters sought refuge after God had destroyed the city of Sodom. The cave is on a hill by a small spring overlooking the Dead Sea. There is a dried pillar of salt nearby which is supposed to be the remains of Lot's wife who disobeyed God's warning not to look back as she fled Sodom and was turned into a pillar of salt.