Madaba, Jordan
Mount Nebo is an elevated ridge located in Jordan, approximately 700 metres (2,300 ft) above sea level. Part of the Abarim mountain range, Mount Nebo is mentioned in the Bible as the place where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land before his death. The view from the summit provides a panorama of the West Bank across the Jordan River valley. The city of Jericho is usually visible from the summit, as is Jerusalem on a very clear day. The biblical town of Nebo, now known as Khirbet al-Mukhayyat, is located 3.5 km (2.1 mi) away.
Mount Nebo is a ridge about 710 m high on the edge of the Jordanian plateau west of Madaba, with a sweeping view over the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and Jericho and, on the clearest days, Al-Quds and the hills of Palestine. It is bound up with the memory of the Prophet Musa (Moses): in the biblical tradition Moses stood on this mountain in the land of Moab and looked out over the Holy Land before his death, and the hill has drawn Christian pilgrims since the 4th century; it remains a favourite stop for any visitor who wants to read the geography of the Holy Land from above. On the summit called Siyagha a memorial church to Moses was built in the 4th century and grew in the Byzantine period into a basilica and monastery. Excavations begun by the Franciscans after they acquired the site in 1932–1935, and continued by Fr Michele Piccirillo until 2008, uncovered layers of mosaics covering some 700 square metres, the finest being the mosaic of the baptistery hall (c. 530 AD) with its hunting and pastoral scenes. The church was rebuilt as a modern shelter protecting the ruins and mosaics and reopened in October 2016; in front of it stands the Brazen Serpent monument by the Italian artist Gian Paolo Fantoni. Pope John Paul II visited in 2000 and planted an olive tree, and Pope Benedict XVI followed in 2009. The site is run by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, lies about 9 km from Madaba on the road down to the Dead Sea, and needs no more than half an hour to an hour.
The view is best early in the morning before haze fills the valley, or before sunset when the hills take on colour; bring sunglasses and binoculars if you want to pick out Jericho and the Dead Sea. The visit is short and suits families and older visitors, and is usually combined with Madaba and Ma'in Hot Springs or the Dead Sea in one day. A taxi from Madaba costs about 5 JOD. The ticket is separate and not covered by the Jordan Pass according to the Custody and Wikivoyage; residents pay a reduced rate. Modest dress is appropriate inside the church.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: custodia.org
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