Pella: An Ancient City in the Jordan Valley in Photos

By Alex
Updated October 25, 2026

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Beside the village of Tabaqat Fahl, where the hills of northern Jordan meet the Jordan Valley, Pella was a Canaanite town, a city of the Decapolis, a Byzantine bishopric and an Umayyad town. This album follows the visit: the Civic Complex Church and the odeon in the valley, the houses of the main mound, the East Church on the slope, the hill of Tell al-Husn, and the West Church just outside the park, across the road from its west entrance.

In this album

155 photos of Pella

Tap a photo to open it full size

Columns of the Civic Complex Church at Pella, Jordan — 01Columns of the Civic Complex Church

Columns against the sky, Pella, Jordan — 02Columns against the sky

The nave and its columns, Pella, Jordan — 03The nave and its columns

The church below the hills, Pella, Jordan — 04The church below the hills

Columns below the hills, Pella, Jordan — 05Columns below the hills

Across the church, Pella, Jordan — 06Across the church

A carved block, Pella, Jordan — 07A carved block

The church in the valley, Pella, Jordan — 08The church in the valley

The valley of Wadi Jirm, Pella, Jordan — 09The valley of Wadi Jirm

Monumental Stairs, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 10Monumental Stairs

Monumental Stairs, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 11Monumental Stairs

Colonnaded Atrium, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 12Colonnaded Atrium

Colonnaded Atrium, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 13Colonnaded Atrium

Central Apse, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 14Central Apse

Central Nave, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 15Central Nave

Central Nave, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 16Central Nave

Side Apse, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 17Side Apse

Colonnaded Atrium, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 18Colonnaded Atrium

Carved architectural fragment with egg-and-dart moulding and dentils, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 19Carved architectural fragment with egg-and-dart moulding and dentils

Colonnaded Atrium, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 20Colonnaded Atrium

North view of the Church, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 21North view of the Church

North view of the Atrium, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 22North view of the Atrium

North view of the Church from the Main Mound, Civic Complex Church, Pella, Jordan — 23North view of the Church from the Main Mound

The curve of the seating, Pella, Jordan — 24The curve of the seating

The odeon in the valley, Pella, Jordan — 25The odeon in the valley

A vaulted passage, Pella, Jordan — 26A vaulted passage

Walls of the odeon, Pella, Jordan — 27Walls of the odeon

An arched opening, Pella, Jordan — 28An arched opening

Ruins beside the odeon, Pella, Jordan — 29Ruins beside the odeon

A carved moulding, Pella, Jordan — 30A carved moulding

A carved stone, Pella, Jordan — 31A carved stone

Walkway between tiers at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 32Walkway between tiers

Walkway between tiers and Stage side at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 33Walkway between tiers and Stage side

Stage side at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 34Stage side

Cavea, Orchestra and Stage side at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 35Cavea, Orchestra and Stage side

Entrance at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 36Entrance

Stage side at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 37Stage side

Stage side at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 38Stage side

Cavea at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 39Cavea

Roman Odeon at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 40Roman Odeon

Cavea, lower rows at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 41Cavea, lower rows

Orchestra and Stage side at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 42Orchestra and Stage side

Cavea and Orchestra at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 43Cavea and Orchestra

Walkway between tiers at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 44Walkway between tiers

Walkway between tiers at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 45Walkway between tiers

Walkway between tiers at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 46Walkway between tiers

Stage side at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 47Stage side

View of the Roman Odeon and the Civic Complex Church at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 48View of the Roman Odeon and the Civic Complex Church

Unexcavated passage at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 49Unexcavated passage

A large hollowed stone basin at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 50A large hollowed stone basin

Stage side at the Roman Odeon, Pella, Jordan — 51Stage side

Columns in the Umayyad quarter, Pella, Jordan — 52Columns in the Umayyad quarter

House walls on the main mound, Pella, Jordan — 53House walls on the main mound

Stone walls of the houses, Pella, Jordan — 54Stone walls of the houses

Rooms of the Umayyad quarter, Pella, Jordan — 55Rooms of the Umayyad quarter

Umayyad houses in the Umayyad Residential Quarter, Pella, Jordan — 56Umayyad houses

House G in the Umayyad Residential Quarter, Pella, Jordan — 57House G

House G in the Umayyad Residential Quarter, Pella, Jordan — 58House G

House G in the Umayyad Residential Quarter, Pella, Jordan — 59House G

House A in the Umayyad Residential Quarter, Pella, Jordan — 60House A

Houses A and B in the Umayyad Residential Quarter, Pella, Jordan — 61Houses A and B

Houses C and A in the Umayyad Residential Quarter, Pella, Jordan — 62Houses C and A

Houses C and B in the Umayyad Residential Quarter, Pella, Jordan — 63Houses C and B

House A in the Umayyad Residential Quarter, Pella, Jordan — 64House A

Houses A and B in the Umayyad Residential Quarter, Pella, Jordan — 65Houses A and B

Columns against the sky, Pella, Jordan — 66Columns against the sky

Columns of the East Church, Pella, Jordan — 67Columns of the East Church

A standing column, Pella, Jordan — 68A standing column

Walls and columns, Pella, Jordan — 69Walls and columns

Columns on the slope, Pella, Jordan — 70Columns on the slope

Columns and walls, Pella, Jordan — 71Columns and walls

A column in the evening light, Pella, Jordan — 72A column in the evening light

The church site, Pella, Jordan — 73The church site

Stones above the valley, Pella, Jordan — 74Stones above the valley

Fallen columns, Pella, Jordan — 75Fallen columns

A carved capital, Pella, Jordan — 76A carved capital

A carved block, Pella, Jordan — 77A carved block

The hill of Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan — 78The hill of Tell al-Husn

Excavated walls on the summit, Pella, Jordan — 79Excavated walls on the summit

An excavation trench, Pella, Jordan — 80An excavation trench

Walls on the summit, Pella, Jordan — 81Walls on the summit

A deep trench, Pella, Jordan — 82A deep trench

The Civic Complex Church from above, Pella, Jordan — 83The Civic Complex Church from above

Columns seen from the hill, Pella, Jordan — 84Columns seen from the hill

The valley below, Pella, Jordan — 85The valley below

Towards the Jordan Valley, Pella, Jordan — 86Towards the Jordan Valley

The hills around Pella, Pella, Jordan — 87The hills around Pella

The central apse of the West Church, Pella, Jordan — 88The Central Apse

The three apses of the West Church seen together, Pella, Jordan — 89View of the Three Apses

The curved wall of the south apse built of large stones, West Church, Pella, Jordan — 90The South Apse

The curved inner face of the south apse wall built of cut stone, West Church, Pella, Jordan — 91Inside the South Apse

The north apse of the West Church with its curved cut-stone wall, Pella, Jordan — 92The North Apse

A circular medallion carved on a stone block in the central apse, West Church, Pella, Jordan — 93A Carved Medallion in the Central Apse

The central nave of the West Church with the columns of the atrium in the background, Pella, Jordan — 94The Central Nave and Atrium Columns

The north aisle wall with standing columns and a minaret in the distance, West Church, Pella, Jordan — 95The North Aisle Wall and Columns

Standing columns of the atrium, West Church, Pella, Jordan — 96Columns of the Atrium

Standing columns of the atrium with hills behind, West Church, Pella, Jordan — 97Atrium Columns and Hills

A column base in the atrium with standing columns behind it, West Church, Pella, Jordan — 98An Atrium Column Base and Columns

A rectangular stone basin in the atrium, West Church, Pella, Jordan — 99A Stone Basin in the Atrium

North wall of the Mamluk Mosque at Pella with the central doorway, opposite the mihrab — 100North wall with the entrance

South wall of the Mamluk Mosque at Pella with the projecting mihrab prayer niche — 101South wall with the mihrab

South wall of the Mamluk Mosque at Pella with the mihrab niche, seen from another angle — 102South wall with the mihrab, second view

Southwest corner of the Mamluk Mosque, Pella, Jordan, showing the reused stone blocks of the wall — 103Southwest corner of the Mamluk Mosque

Northwest corner of the Mamluk Mosque at Pella, Jordan, seen from outside the building — 104Northwest corner of the Mamluk Mosque

Northwest corner of the Mamluk Mosque at Pella, Jordan, from a different angle — 105Northwest corner, second view

East wall of the Mamluk Mosque at Pella, Jordan — 106East wall of the Mamluk Mosque

West wall of the Mamluk Mosque at Pella, Jordan — 107West wall of the Mamluk Mosque

North wall of the Mamluk Mosque at Pella, Jordan, with the surviving window openings — 108North wall of the Mamluk Mosque

North wall of the Mamluk Mosque at Pella, Jordan, seen from another angle — 109North wall, second view

North wall of the Mamluk Mosque at Pella, Jordan, from the north side — 110North wall, third view

Central apse of the East Church at Pella, Jordan — 111The central apse

Central nave of the East Church at Pella, Jordan, between the rows of columns — 112The central nave

South apse of the East Church at Pella, Jordan — 113The south apse

Atrium of the East Church at Pella, Jordan, with five standing columns — 114The atrium with five columns

Atrium of the East Church at Pella, Jordan — 115The atrium

Atrium of the East Church at Pella, Jordan, seen from another angle — 116The atrium, second view

Atrium of the East Church at Pella, Jordan, with its surrounding columns — 117The atrium, third view

Atrium of the East Church at Pella, Jordan, from another position — 118The atrium, fourth view

Atrium of the East Church at Pella, Jordan, showing the paved floor and column bases — 119The atrium, fifth view

Atrium of the East Church at Pella, Jordan, in a wider view — 120The atrium, sixth view

Atrium of the East Church at Pella, Jordan, seen from higher ground — 121The atrium from above

The East Church at Pella, Jordan — 122The East Church

Nave and atrium of the East Church at Pella, Jordan, seen from higher ground — 123The nave and atrium from above

The East Church at Pella, Jordan, seen from higher ground — 124The East Church from above

Atrium of the East Church at Pella, Jordan, with columns in the foreground — 125The atrium, seventh view

Circular stone in the north aisle of the East Church at Pella, possibly a wellhead of a cistern — 126Circular stone in the north aisle

Circular stone in the north aisle of the East Church at Pella, possibly a wellhead of a cistern, seen from another angle — 127Circular stone in the north aisle, second view

Pillared hall of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan, with the surviving pillar bases — 128The pillared hall

Sanctuary of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan, with its massive stone walls — 129The sanctuary

Pillared hall of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan, seen from another angle — 130The pillared hall, second view

Sanctuary of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan, seen from another angle — 131The sanctuary, second view

Sanctuary of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan, from a different position — 132The sanctuary, third view

Sanctuary of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan, showing its overlapping walls — 133The sanctuary, fourth view

North wall of the sanctuary of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan — 134North wall of the sanctuary

Pillared hall of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan, in a wider view — 135The pillared hall, third view

West wall of the sanctuary of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan — 136West wall of the sanctuary

Sanctuary of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan, seen from the interior — 137The sanctuary, fifth view

South wall of the sanctuary of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan — 138South wall of the sanctuary

Sanctuary of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan, with the later walls built over earlier ones — 139The sanctuary, sixth view

Pillared hall of the Canaanite Temple at Pella, Jordan, with pillar bases in the foreground — 140The pillared hall, fourth view

View of the Pella Archaeological Site from Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan — 141View of the Pella Archaeological Site from Tell al-Husn

View of the Pella Archaeological Site from Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan — 142View of the Pella Archaeological Site from Tell al-Husn

Roman courtyard complex on the western summit of Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan — 143Western summit, Roman courtyard complex

Roman courtyard complex on the western summit of Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan, from another angle — 144Western summit, Roman courtyard complex

Tell al-Husn at Pella, Jordan, with the summit remains — 145Tell al-Husn Summit

Paved Roman courtyard complex on the western summit of Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan — 146Western summit, Roman courtyard complex

Roman courtyard complex on the western summit of Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan, with dressed masonry — 147Western summit, Roman courtyard complex

Byzantine fortress above earlier terraces on the eastern summit of Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan — 148Eastern summit, Byzantine fortress above earlier terraces

Byzantine fortress walls above the earlier terraces on the eastern summit of Tell al-Husn, Pella — 149Eastern summit, Byzantine fortress above earlier terraces

Eastern summit of Tell al-Husn at Pella, with the Byzantine fortress above earlier terraces — 150Eastern summit, Byzantine fortress above earlier terraces

Stone walls of the Byzantine fortress on the eastern summit of Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan — 151Eastern summit, Byzantine fortress above earlier terraces

Byzantine fortress on the eastern summit of Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan, built over earlier terraces — 152Eastern summit, Byzantine fortress above earlier terraces

Terraces and fortress walls on the eastern summit of Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan — 153Eastern summit, Byzantine fortress above earlier terraces

Eastern summit of Tell al-Husn, Pella, Jordan, with the Byzantine fortress and earlier terraces — 154Eastern summit, Byzantine fortress above earlier terraces

View of Tell al-Husn from East Church, Pella, Jordan — 155View of Tell al-Husn from East Church

About this album

Site

Pella, North & Jordan Valley

Region

North & Jordan Valley

Period

Bronze Age, Byzantine Period, Mamluk Period, Roman Period, Umayyad Period

Theme

Coordinates

32.4497° N, 35.6156° E

Photos

155 photos

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The valley of Wadi Jirm, Pella, Jordan

Pella (Tabqet Fahel)

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