31/10/2025
🇯🇴 Step into the heart of ancient Gerasa at the Oval Forum in Jerash, Jordan one of the most striking remnants of Roman urban design in the Middle East. This remarkable plaza, dating back to the 1st century AD, stands as a masterpiece of harmony and proportion, capturing the grandeur and precision of Roman architecture.
🏛️ The Oval Forum is an expansive open space, measuring about 90 m (295 ft) long and 80 m (262 ft) wide, surrounded by 56 Ionic columns of fine limestone. Its unique oval shape was designed to connect the city’s main streets, serving as both a gathering place for citizens and a grand stage for markets, ceremonies, and public life.
🌿 Paved with ancient limestone blocks that still carry the marks of time, the Forum opens toward the Cardo Maximus, Jerash’s main colonnaded street, forming the centerpiece of a city once known for its wealth and culture. Standing here, surrounded by echoes of chariots, traders, and philosophers, it’s easy to imagine the vitality that once filled this space.
✨ Today, the Oval Forum is one of Jerash’s most photographed sites, admired for its graceful symmetry and the breathtaking backdrop of surrounding ruins. It remains a symbol of Jordan’s deep connection to its classical past and a stunning testament to the brilliance of Roman engineering.