Jerash stands on the banks of Wadi Jerash, once known as Chrysorhoas, the “river of gold”. On its left bank is the modern town; opposite stand the breathtaking ruins of Gerasa, at its peak in the 3C. The town’s main monuments are an immense colonnade, a striking oval precinct, no fewer than three theatres, plus numerous temples and churches, all made from fine limestone. The pine forests on the nearby hills lend a bucolic note to the peaceful charm of this 2 000 year-old city.