Ma’an was a famous stop on the pilgrim route, and is often called the “Pilgrim City.” You can reach this route by car or bus, by traveling south from Amman on the Desert Highway that takes you to Aqaba. If you are planning only a short stop, drive into town and proceed to the south east corner of the city. From there you will see signs to the Museum for King Abdulla the First, and beside this museum is the train station. In the center of town is an open area, known as the Pilgrim stop. Ma’an is an almost totally Muslim city, and folk there are usually pleased to give you directions to the museums. It is also an old oasis, as well as the largest city around.
Modern buildings at the Ma'an station.
The Museum in Ma'an is next to the train tracks and station. The buildings here were once used by King Abdalla I of Jordan when the first government was being formed in the new Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Ma'an is an ancient oasis in the desert. For many years it was an ancient caravan stop. There are Nabataean and Roman ruins here. Ma'an may also have been the place of teh 12 Palm Trees where Moses stopped with the Children of Israel on his way north.
Near the train station is the maintenance shop.
Train passing the abandoned glass factory. The trains carry phosphate from the mines to the port in Aqaba. The glass factory used to make glass from the near pure silacone that is found south of Ras al Naqab. The factory was abandonded after it was discovered that little maintanance had been done for several years. Apparently the last manager ran off with a fortune, and is living in another country.
Turkish fort/jail, now a museum and cultural center. Ma'an was once a major center for the Turkish Army. They maintained control of the area from this fort, as well as a series of smaller fortification in nearby settlements.
Near to modern Ma'an is the old oasis, with many ruined houses. Dates are still harvested here from the trees.
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