Serpentine Cross at the top of Mount Nebo in Jordan, where Moses viewed the Holy Land.

© Munzir Rosdi/Shutterstock

Memorial Viewpoint

Top choice in Mt Nebo

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Moses' view of the Promised Land towards ancient Gilead, Judah, Jericho and the Negev is marked by an Italian-designed bronze memorial next to the Moses Memorial Church. The ironwork, symbolising the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross and the serpent that ‘Moses lifted up’ in the desert, stands in the middle of an invariably windy viewing platform. Markers indicate notable points in the often-hazy distance, including the Golan Heights, Jerusalem (just 46km away) and the Dead Sea.

To enjoy similar views away from the crowds, pack a picnic and hike along the road downhill from Mt Nebo (towards the Dead Sea) for 100m and take the track to the left to the nearby hilltop.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Jerusalem, Israel - July 26, 2015: Panorama of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - church in Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.

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    29.16 MILES

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    Temple Mount/Al Haram Ash Sharif

    28.83 MILES

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  • People prays and walk in front of the western wall, wailing wall or kotel.

    Western Wall

    28.89 MILES

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  • Temple of Hercules, Citadel, Amman, Jordan

    Citadel

    17.8 MILES

    The area known as the Citadel sits on the highest hill in Amman, Jebel Al Qala’a (about 850m above sea level), and is the site of ancient Rabbath-Ammon…

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    Ein Gedi Nature Reserve

    28.53 MILES

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    Darat Al Funun

    17.59 MILES

    On the hillside to the north of the downtown area, this cultural haven is dedicated to contemporary art. The main building features an excellent art…

  • Saint Sabas (Arabic: Mar Saba) monastery, in the Judean desert on the southern cliffs of the Kidron creek.

    Mar Saba Monastery

    23.62 MILES

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  • Amman, Jordan – February 21, 2011: A Mercedes Benz Mclaren stirling moss in Royal automotive museum. 786706201 automotive, jordan, tourer, headlights, view, new, concept, hussein, grand, orange, luxury, germany, black, editorial, vehicle, technology, automobile, moss, amman, modern, transport, limited, stirling, design, slr, king, speed, rich, edition, german, mercedes, transportation, car, kingdom, beautiful, royal, arab, auto, sport, museum, rear, king hussein, sport car, royal automobile museum, illustrative editorial, king abdullah, mercedes-benz, mclaren, abdullah, supercar

    Royal Automobile Museum

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Nearby Mt Nebo attractions

1. Moses Memorial Church

0.05 MILES

On top of Mt Nebo, this modest church, or more accurately basilica, was built around 4th-century foundations in 597 and has just undergone major…

2. Church of SS Lot & Procopius

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Originally built in 557, this church houses a remarkable mosaic with scenes of daily life such as agricultural work, fishing and winemaking (in particular…

3. Moses' Spring

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This spring is one of two places where Moses is believed to have obtained water by striking a rock. Six giant eucalyptus trees mark the spot, and there’s…

4. La Storia Tourism Complex

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This new ethnographic diorama, 2km before Mt Nebo on the Nebo–Madaba road, features an exhibition of tableaux billed as depictions of the religious,…

5. Wadi Jadid Dolmen Field

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More terraced fields than wadi, Wadi Jadid is locally renowned for its remarkable collection of early Bronze Age burial chambers and stone memorials…

6. St George’s Church & Mosaic Map

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7. Archaeological Park II

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8. Tell Hesban

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Amateur archaeologists will like Tell Hesban, 9km north of Madaba. Over the centuries this strategic hill has been a Bronze Age settlement, a Hellenistic…