Magnificent Views Over Galilee
Northern Jordan, Jordan
Umm Qais, biblical Gadara, is one of those out-of-the-way spots that visitors are amazed aren’t on the tourist trail. A combination of a well-preserved theatre, underground tombs, an abandoned village and superb views make this a must see for anyone with time for a visit.
Background
The bible tells us that at Gadara Jesus cast out demons from two men into a herd of swine. The town sits in a prominent position high above the Sea of Galilee and prospered as part of the Decapolis, the league of 10 trading cities of the region that was prominent during Roman times; its heyday was in the 1st and 2nd centuries.
Gadara fell into decline in the 7th century at the beginning of Islamic rule and this was hastened by damaging earthquakes in the 8th century until a now-abandoned Ottoman village was built on the ruins, but it too lies abandoned.