Jabal Amman is one of the seven hills that originally made up Amman

Amman

Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...

, Jordan. Today, Jabal Amman is near the old downtown

Downtown Amman

Central Amman, known locally as al-Balad, is the old commercial area of Amman, Jordan.-History:The Balad is the oldest section of the city, being the one that was originally inhabited during the Neolithic period around 6500 B.C...

 area.

History

Along with the rest of old Amman, Jabal Amman was first settled during the Neolithic period. But unlike nearby hills, particularly Jabal al-Qal'a, Jabal Amman was never fortified. It remained somewhat of a wooded outback until the 20th century, when Amman was declared the capital of Transjordan

Transjordan

The Emirate of Transjordan was a former Ottoman territory in the Southern Levant that was part of the British Mandate of Palestine...

 and royalty, wealthy families, businesses, army officers, and politicians began moving into Jabal Amman. Soon, the jabal was informally established as an elite neighborhood of Amman. As Amman spread west, the 1st Circle was built and Jabal Amman became a primary east-west artery for the quickly expanding city. As the area aged, trees and greenery matured. Today, full grown trees line the streets of Jabal Amman. In 2005, the Greater Amman Municipality recognized Jabal Amman as a 'heritage attraction point' and set forth plans to preserve and develop the historic hill.

Location

Traditionally, the 1st Circle marks the start of Jabal Amman and King Talal Street on the valley floor marks the end of it. 9th Sha'ban Street divides Jabal Amman from Jabal Lweibdeh in the north. Mango Street

Mango Street

Mango Street is a historic street in the Jabal Amman area near downtown Amman, Jordan. Officially named Omar bin al-Khattab Street , the street derives its nickname from the Mango House, a building on the intersection between Mango and Rainbow Streets...

 runs north-south across the slope. Rainbow Street

Rainbow Street

The Rainbow Street , originally named Abu Bakr al Siddiq street, is a public space in the historic area of Jabal Amman, near the center of downtown Amman, Jordan...

 serves as the main access up and down the mountain to the 1st circle. Jabal Akhddar is on the opposite side of the valley from Jabal Amman.

Architecture

Jabal Amman is renowned for its historic buildings and distinctive early 20th century architecture. When politicians and entrepreneurs moved into the neighborhood during the same time, they began to build houses, many of the houses featuring a single story and a large front porch running the entire front exposure of the building. Notable houses include:

• Jordan River Foundation House
  Jordan River Foundation
  The Jordan River Foundation is a non-profit organization started in December 1995 in Amman, Jordan to empower society, especially women and children, and in turn, improve the quality of life to secure a better future for all Jordanians. The foundation was founded by and is chaired by Queen Rania...
  
  
• Al-Bilbeisi Houses
• Habboo and Akrawi House
• Al-Mufti House
  Al-Mufti House
  The Mufti House is a house located on Rainbow Street-Mango Street intersection in the Jabal Amman neighbourhood of Amman, Jordan. Like many other houses in Jabal Amman, such as the Mango House across the street, 70 years has given the Mufti House time for a significantly wooded front yard to develop...
  
  
• Jardaneh House
• Mango House
  Mango House
  The Mango House is a building in Amman, Jordan. Situated on Mango Street, the house looks out toward Jabal Akhddar on the other side of the valley that is downtown Amman.-Architecture:...
  
  
• Sammour Family House

Numerous businesses such as Books@Café, Old View Café, Jordan River Foundation

Jordan River Foundation

The Jordan River Foundation is a non-profit organization started in December 1995 in Amman, Jordan to empower society, especially women and children, and in turn, improve the quality of life to secure a better future for all Jordanians. The foundation was founded by and is chaired by Queen Rania...

, Wild Jordan, and Royal Jordan Film Commission inhabit these buildings today.

Jabal Amman Residents Association

Jabal Amman Residents Association (JARA) is an organization started in 2004 to preserve the neighborhood's deep history and promote cultural events. JARA hosts many of the outdoor markets in Jabal Amman. The most famous is Souk JARA (سوق جارا) that was established in 2005.

See also

• Downtown Amman
  Downtown Amman
  Central Amman, known locally as al-Balad, is the old commercial area of Amman, Jordan.-History:The Balad is the oldest section of the city, being the one that was originally inhabited during the Neolithic period around 6500 B.C...
  
  
• Citadel Hill, Amman
• Mango Street
  Mango Street
  Mango Street is a historic street in the Jabal Amman area near downtown Amman, Jordan. Officially named Omar bin al-Khattab Street , the street derives its nickname from the Mango House, a building on the intersection between Mango and Rainbow Streets...
  
  
• Rainbow Street
  Rainbow Street
  The Rainbow Street , originally named Abu Bakr al Siddiq street, is a public space in the historic area of Jabal Amman, near the center of downtown Amman, Jordan...
  
  
• Jordan River Foundation
  Jordan River Foundation
  The Jordan River Foundation is a non-profit organization started in December 1995 in Amman, Jordan to empower society, especially women and children, and in turn, improve the quality of life to secure a better future for all Jordanians. The foundation was founded by and is chaired by Queen Rania...
  
  
• Mango House
  Mango House
  The Mango House is a building in Amman, Jordan. Situated on Mango Street, the house looks out toward Jabal Akhddar on the other side of the valley that is downtown Amman.-Architecture:...
  
  
• Al-Mufti House
  Al-Mufti House
  The Mufti House is a house located on Rainbow Street-Mango Street intersection in the Jabal Amman neighbourhood of Amman, Jordan. Like many other houses in Jabal Amman, such as the Mango House across the street, 70 years has given the Mufti House time for a significantly wooded front yard to develop...