"Salt - السلط" As Salt by MM212

Thought to have been founded under Alexander the Great, as-Salt was known as Saltus in Graeco-Roman times. It remained of moderate size until it was destroyed by the Mongols in the 13th century. It was subsequently rebuilt, but did not flourish again until the Ottomans made it the capital of the region, which increased its importance as it became the largest city on the East Bank of the River Jordan. Growth was accelerated when merchants from Palestine, particularly Nablus, settled in as-Salt in the 19th century and built the numerous Ottoman-period houses that have made the city one of the most picturesque in Jordan. Amman overtook as-Salt as the largest city in Jordan only after it was made the capital city post-WWI. This helped to preserve as-Salt and its traditional architecture, which has been undergoing extensive restoration in recent years. What Amman lacks in Ottoman history and traditional Middle Eastern character can undoubtedly be found in as-Salt (note that the Old City of Salt is currently on the tentative list waiting to be inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site). It lies a mere 30 minutes from the capital city and is a rewarding day trip.

My only visit to as-Salt was in December 2010 on a day trip from Amman. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I was only able to spend a couple of hours, but would have liked to stay longer to walk through its maze of alleys and to discover more of its architecture. An entire day could be dedicated to as-Salt, especially if one included visits to the museums and a lunch or dinner.

15-day Jordan/Syria/Arabia Itinerary in Dec 2010/Jan 2011:

Amman - Madaba - Iraq al Amir - Salt - Syria (Bosra - Suweida - Qanawat - Shahba) - Madaba (again) - Dead Sea - Kerak - Wadi Musa/Petra - Wadi Rum - Amman (again) - Jerash => Hijaz region of Arabia