Mount Nebo

Our expert Jordan

Mount Nebo

A Byzantine church On the mountain where Moses received a vision of the Promised Land. © Christian Vaisse/Hoa Qui

Presumed to be the area where Moses was buried, Mount Nebo (lying 8 miles from Madaba) is best seen in the morning (at around 7:00 am). The pure sky reveals the fabulous panorama of the depression of the Dead Sea, before the heavy evaporation of the waters shrouds the landscape in thick mist. In the distance, on the hills of Judea, you can catch a glimpse of the heights of Jerusalem. The memorial of Moses, one of the most venerated sanctuaries in the country, is made up of remnants of the basilica erected by monks in the 6th century that included even older buildings. In the baptistry-diaconicum, you will find the loveliest mosaic (dating back to the year 530) depicting village scenes (take a closer look at the black man keeping an ostrich on the leash). Another baptistery equally houses a beautiful mosaic banner depicting a succession of sheep and fruit trees, while the Theotokos chapel dedicated to the Mother of God has kept its pavement depicting gazelles, bulls and other Christian symbols.