The University of Jordan News
Amman's Nymphaeum Opens to Public
Visitors and tourists can now visit the Roman Nymphaeum in Amman after it was restored and rehabilitated over a four year period, with the support of US embassy under the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation programme and Hamdi Mango Centre for Scientific Research (HMCSR) at the University of Jordan (UJ).

The site was re-opened with the presence of the Us Embassy Chargé D’affaires Paul R. Malik, Mayor of Amman Dr.Yousef Shawarbeh, Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Dr. Issa Qamwa, Acting Director of the Department of Public Antiquities Yazeed Alian, and the President of the University of Jordan Prof. Abdel karim Al Qudah.

The Roman Nymphaeum is an archaeological site situated in the centre of Downtown Amman near the Roman amphitheatre, Odin Theatre, and Amman Citadel. Amman's Nymphaeum dates back to the Roman Period in the second century AD.

Malik said that protecting Jordan’s cultural heritage is important not only due its historical value but also for it economic value; it strengthens the tourism industry, which represents 14 per cent of the country’s GDP.
 
Yazeed Alian expressed his in the achievement, while also pointing to the role that the Department of Public Antiquities plays in preserving and caring for archaeological sites. He stated that there are over one hundred thousand sites that require constant care.
 
The project’s manager/President of Jordanian Chemical Society and a professor of Chemistry at UJ Prof. Abeer Bawab added that this program lasted for four years and was divided into two phases. It was based on various researches that covered the causes of the site’s pollution and ways to chemically treat it, and then carry out the work of restoration and preparing the required measurements to preserve the site in order for it to become a tourist attraction.
 
Bawab also thanked the team that participated in accomplishing this work that combined the expertise of architectural and chemical engineers, along with students, researchers, and volunteers.
2018/10/28