🏛️ Hisham's Palace (Khirbet al-Mafjar)
Palestine
About This Sacred Site
Hisham's Palace (Khirbet al-Mafjar), located north of Jericho, is one of the most significant Umayyad palaces in the Islamic world. Built in the 8th century during the reign of Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, the complex includes a palace, mosque, and an elaborate bathhouse containing what is widely considered one of the greatest floor mosaics in existence. The 'Tree of Life' mosaic in the bathhouse diwan depicts a tree with a lion attacking a deer on one side and deer grazing peacefully on the other — symbolizing war and peace. An earthquake destroyed much of the palace before it was completed, preserving its extraordinary art beneath rubble for over a millennium. A new museum now protects the mosaic.
Key Facts
- •Contains the 'Tree of Life' mosaic, one of the greatest floor mosaics in the world
- •Built in the 8th century during the Umayyad Caliphate
- •An earthquake destroyed the palace before completion, preserving art beneath rubble
- •The bathhouse complex was one of the most elaborate in the Islamic world
- •A new museum was built to protect and display the extraordinary mosaic
Location
Coordinates: 31.8797, 35.4572
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