JERASH
JORDAN - 2017
With an estimated population of about 240,000 in 2018 (based off of studies done in 2015 which stated that there was a population of 237,000), Jerash is about an hour away from the capital of Jordan, Amman.
Jerash is not as thriving as it once used to be. Its history is epic and dramatic, reflected by the undying architectural symbols which connect us to the past.
The city of Jerash was initially named Gerasa, in the infancy of Christianity in the first century. In those times, it was just a trivial city but it quickly became part of the Roman Empire and a threatening counterpart to Petra in terms of being a commercial town. In other words, the Jerash economy and standard of living started booming.
A large factor in this boost was the lumber and iron orde in the mountains of Ajloun, allowing the once small city of Geresa to grow to its full potential, the gold stone city of Jerash.
THE OLD & GOLD STONE CITY
The Nymphaeum, Jerash Jordan
TOWERING TEMPLES OF INSECURITY
There is a persistent premise in the world of architecture which acts as a fail-safe within many tall enduring structures. The premise is that anything tall or suspended must be flexible, it must be able to wobble, move, and adapt to shifts in the earth and wind. In fact, many of the pillars do this very curious thing. While this may seem counterproductive at first, there is undoubtedly ingenious logic to it, as is the case with most things that seem counter-intuitive. Structures are designed in order to sway with the wind or shifting of the earth in order to keep the building from collapsing under its own weight.
In the old ruins of Jerash, this is one of the many architectural secrets which keep the ruins standing tall weathering the battery of time and change so effortlessly. Architects already know this, bridges and buildings are not strict rigid structures in the sky. These structures are moving, just barely visible to conscious attention; whether it be the people and cars causing the suspension bridge to bounce up and down or the tremendous winds hitting the face of a skyscraper causing it to faintly wobble. These fail safes are built in the architectural integrity so that the structure will not collapse under its own weight. There's a wisdom to be gained somewhere in this.
HISTORIC MONUMENTS WITHIN JERASH
The Arch of Hadrian
Located at the south gate, created with three openings as doorways or pathways, this structure was built in 130 AD to honor the visitation of the Roman Emperor Hadrian to the city of Gerasa.
The Oval Forum
Built around 2nd century CE, their design is one of three main classical architecture styles, the ionic style of colonnades, initially built to connect to the main stone road known as Cardo Maximus.
Propylaeum Temple
The Propylaeum style stone work in ancient Greece was an architectural technique used as a means to be a porch or gateway often designed supported by columns. These architectural structures often symbolize a doorway to a sacred enclosure.
