“This towering triple gateway was thrown up in 129 AD purely to flatter the emperor Hadrian when he came to visit.”
About Hadrian’s Arch
Hadrian's Arch was built in 129 AD to mark the emperor Hadrian's visit to Gerasa, a prosperous city of the Roman Decapolis. The monument was meant to be the southern entrance to an ambitious new district, though the planned expansion never fully materialised. The arch survived the centuries and the decline of the city, and has been restored as the dramatic entry point to the Jerash archaeological site.
What Hadrian's Arch is
Hadrian's Arch is the grand southern route into the ancient Roman city of Jerash, a towering triple-arched monument that greets visitors at the entrance to one of the best-preserved Roman provincial cities in the world. Standing some 11 metres tall, it was built to honour a visiting emperor and sets the scale for the spectacular ruins beyond.
Standing some 11 metres tall, it was built to honour a visiting emperor and sets the scale for the spectacular ruins beyond.
Built for an Emperor's Visit
The arch was erected in 129 AD to commemorate the visit of the Roman emperor Hadrian to Jerash, then the thriving city of Gerasa, part of the Decapolis league. Such a monument was a mark of great honour and ambition, intended as the entrance to a planned expansion of the city that was never fully completed. Its scale and decorative carving announced the wealth and Roman identity of Gerasa to all who approached.
The Experience
You pass beneath the soaring triple arch at the start of a visit to Jerash, taking in its carved details and imagining the emperor's arrival nearly nineteen centuries ago. Beyond it lie the hippodrome, the oval plaza, colonnaded streets, temples and theatres of the ancient city. The arch frames the approach and gives an immediate sense of the grandeur to come.
Why It Matters
Hadrian's Arch is the ceremonial threshold to Jerash, one of the most complete Roman cities outside Italy, and a monument to the imperial visits that shaped provincial cities. It encapsulates the ambition of Gerasa and welcomes visitors into a remarkably preserved window onto Roman urban life.
Hadrian's Arch is the ceremonial threshold to Jerash, one of the most complete Roman cities outside Italy, and a monument to the imperial visits that shaped provincial cities.
Why Visit
The monumental Roman gateway to Jerash, an 11-metre triple arch built to honour the emperor Hadrian, the dramatic entrance to one of the best-preserved Roman cities.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
It marks the southern entrance to the Jerash ruins.
- 2
It was built for the emperor Hadrian's visit in 129 AD.
- 3
Visit in cooler hours, as the site is large and exposed.
