Second life for the Nymphaeum of Amman

It always makes me happy when new life is brought to an ancient site or building as they often have been mistreated over the centuries and have suffered from war, plunder and erosion.

[Picture from Jordan Times]

This means that the news about the recently rehabilitated Nymphaeum in downtown Amman, Jordan, situated right next to the busy fruit and vegetable market deserves our attention. Basically a Nymphaeum was a gift to the nymphs, who were divine spirits associated with water.

This Roman fountain from the second century AD has now been turned into an outdoor museum and performance space, which should attract the tourists visiting the nearby Theater and Odeon. It was not a small local fountain as archaeologists have established that the water in the 600 m2 pool was continuously flowing through a three meters deep basin. This is truly a building worthy of a major city, then and now.

Since the Nymphaeum is located so close to the modern market place, the municipality has agreed to do  their utmost to keep the area clean and to meet the necessary requirement for its perseveration.