“Roman forums are almost always rectangular, but Jerash built its great public square as a sweeping, colonnaded oval.”
About The Oval Plaza
The Oval Plaza was laid out in the 1st century AD as the forum and civic centrepiece of Gerasa, one of the cities of the Decapolis. Its unusual oval shape solved a planning problem, gracefully connecting the cardo, the main street, with the elevated Temple of Zeus. The plaza's encircling colonnade and fine paving reflected the wealth and Roman sophistication of the flourishing city.
What The Oval Plaza actually is
The Oval Plaza is the spectacular forum of ancient Jerash, an unusually shaped open square ringed by a sweeping colonnade of Ionic columns. Its broad, paved oval, embraced by curving rows of pillars, is one of the most distinctive and photogenic spaces in the entire Roman world, forming the monumental heart of this remarkably preserved city.
The Oval Plaza is the spectacular forum of ancient Jerash, an unusually shaped open square ringed by a sweeping colonnade of Ionic columns.
A Forum Without parallel
Most Roman forums are rectangular, which makes the elongated oval form of this plaza, laid out in the 1st century AD, genuinely unusual and striking. The design elegantly linked the main colonnaded street with the temple of Zeus on the hill above, resolving the awkward angle between them with its graceful curve. Around 160 columns once enclosed the space, and a central column now marks where an altar or statue may have stood.
The Experience
Inside, the vast, sunlit oval, surrounded by the sweep of standing Ionic columns, the paving worn smooth by two thousand years. The space feels grand and theatrical, and from its centre you can survey the temple on the hill, the colonnaded street and the wider ruins. It is the iconic image of Jerash and an unforgettable place to sense the life of a Roman provincial capital.
Why It Matters
The Oval Plaza is the architectural masterpiece of Jerash and one of the most remarkable public spaces surviving from the Roman world. Its rare oval design and elegant resolution of the city plan make it a highlight of a site celebrated as one of the best-preserved Roman cities anywhere.
The Oval Plaza is the architectural masterpiece of Jerash and one of the most remarkable public spaces surviving from the Roman world.
Why Visit
The spectacular oval forum of Jerash, a sweeping colonnaded plaza unlike any other in the Roman world, the iconic centrepiece of one of its best-preserved cities.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
It is the iconic image of Jerash; allow time for photos.
- 2
Note how the oval links the main street to the Temple of Zeus.
- 3
Around 160 columns once ringed the plaza.
- 4
Visit in cooler, lower light for the best atmosphere.
