Abu Jaber House (Old Salt Museum) | As Salt

Information

Landmark: Abu Jaber House (Old Salt Museum)
City: As Salt
Country: Jordan
Continent: Asia

Abu Jaber House (Old Salt Museum), As Salt, Jordan, Asia

Abu Jaber House is a historic architectural landmark located in the center of Salt, Jordan. It serves as a museum documenting the city's urban history and is situated within the designated UNESCO World Heritage site of the "Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality."

Visual Characteristics

The building is constructed from yellow Nabulsi limestone, featuring triple-arched windows and Italian-tiled roofs. It spans three floors with hand-painted ceilings depicting floral and geometric motifs, while the interior floors are laid with patterned Carrara marble. The facade is characterized by ornate stone carvings and decorative wrought-iron balconies overlooking the city's central plaza.

Location & Access Logistics

The museum is located in Al-Saha (The Plaza) in the downtown area of Salt, approximately 35 kilometers west of Amman. Access is via the Amman-Salt Highway; visitors can park at the multi-story municipal parking lot located 300 meters from the museum entrance. Local public buses run regularly from Amman’s North Bus Station to the Salt city center terminal.

Historical & Ecological Origin

Commissioned by the prominent Abu Jaber family, construction began in 1887 and was completed in 1905 during the late Ottoman period. The house was designed as a merchant’s residence, utilizing masonry techniques from Nablus and architectural influences from Lebanon and Europe. It was officially converted into the Historic Old Salt Museum in 2010 to preserve the architectural heritage of the city's "Golden Age."

Key Highlights & Activities

Visitors can explore 20 rooms across multiple levels, featuring exhibits on 19th-century trade, agriculture, and daily life. The top floor provides access to a terrace with views of the surrounding hills and the Al-Ein Plaza. Guided walking tours of the Salt Heritage Trail typically start or end at this location.

Infrastructure & Amenities

The museum includes a reception desk, public restrooms, and a gift shop. The thick stone walls provide natural climate control and shade within the interior galleries. 4G and 5G cellular signals are stable throughout the building; several traditional cafes and bakeries are located immediately outside the main entrance in Al-Saha.

Best Time to Visit

Optimal lighting for interior photography of the painted ceilings occurs between 10:00 and 12:00. The museum is best visited year-round, though the spring months offer cooler temperatures for exploring the adjacent heritage trails. Operating hours are typically Saturday through Thursday, 08:00 to 18:00.

Facts & Legends

King Abdullah I, the founder of Jordan, once used the house as his temporary headquarters during the early 1920s. A unique architectural detail is the "flying staircase" in the central hall, which was engineered without vertical supports, a rare structural feat for residential buildings in the region during the 19th century.