About the city and the twinning
About Madaba
Madaba is the capital of Madaba Governorate, about 30 kilometres southwest of Amman. Known as the City of Mosaics, it preserves Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics in its churches and archaeological sites. Its best-known work is the Madaba Mosaic Map, a sixth-century floor mosaic preserved in the Greek Orthodox Church of St George. It is the oldest surviving pictorial map of the Holy Land and depicts Jerusalem at its centre, alongside places in present-day Palestine, Jordan, Egypt and southern Syria.
Cultural heritage
Madaba’s Archaeological Park preserves mosaics from the Church of the Virgin and Hippolytus Hall, part of a sixth-century mansion. Mosaic-making continues in the city today. The Madaba Institute for Mosaic Art and Restoration teaches mosaic production and conservation, and Madaba is a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in Crafts and Folk Art. Nearby Mount Nebo is traditionally associated with Moses and overlooks the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea.
Twinning with Bethlehem
The twinning agreement between Bethlehem municipality lead by the then mayor Mr. Elias Friej and Madaba municipality lead by the then mayor Mr. Mahmoud Abu Qaddourah, was signed in June 1996. The agreement included exchanging visits between the two cities, the exchange of administrative and technical experiences, and the exchange of touristic knowledge.