Ajloun Governorate is home to numerous notable historical and natural water sources and springs that form an integral part of its heritage and tourism.
اضافة اعلان
Throughout its long history, Ajloun Governorate relied extensively on water sources and ancient wells, which served as the main source for meeting residents' water needs before the arrival of modern supply networks — and these sites still retain their heritage and historical value today.
Academic Dr. Issa Al-Smadi noted that these springs and water sources could serve as an attraction within tourist and heritage trails if they are rehabilitated, preserved, and their historical stories highlighted for visitors and heritage enthusiasts. He pointed out that these water sources once served as meeting points for village residents, tied to many details of daily life and social customs that prevailed in the past.
He added that elderly residents still recall scenes of going to the springs and wells to fetch water, along with the values of cooperation and solidarity that accompanied this and formed an important part of local community life during that period.
Munther Al-Zaghoul, coordinator of the "Jordan Through the Eyes of Ajloun's Photographers" initiative, said that Ajloun's springs and water sources are not merely places for casual outings or flowing water used for agriculture, but represent important historical eras. He stressed the importance of involving the governorate council, and the directorates of tourism, public works, and agriculture, along with municipal councils, in developing investment projects near these sites, and the need to bring road and electricity services to sites lacking them, as well as encouraging young people and providing them with grants and loans to implement tourism projects that would especially revive the areas around these springs.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Qudah, former Secretary-General of the Ministry of Public Sector Development, called for developing Ajloun's springs and water sources and investing in them for tourism, especially since the heavy annual rainfall the governorate receives causes dozens of springs and water sources scattered among the mountains to gush forth. He considered these springs an opportunity for the governorate's municipalities to turn them into a sustainable tourist destination that would provide their budgets with additional sources of income.
Ajloun Municipal Committee
For his part, the head of the Greater Ajloun Municipal Committee, engineer Mohammad Al-Bashabsheh, said the municipality had earlier launched an initiative to revive the historical springs under the name "Ajloun, Land of Springs: Pioneering Projects Combining Authenticity with Tourist Appeal," as part of its efforts to promote eco-tourism and preserve historical heritage. The initiative aims to restore and rehabilitate the governorate's vital historical water springs and include them within tourist trails that attract visitors from inside and outside the Kingdom.
He added that the municipality launched the initiative in response to the condition many of the region's historical water springs had fallen into, having previously suffered from neglect, and the accumulation of dirt and debris that blocked water channels and reduced their flow. The surrounding areas were also marginalized, causing them to lose their aesthetic and historical value and turning them into unused sites.
He said the initiative's goals form an integrated development project that reshapes the tourism and cultural landscape of the governorate.
Al-Bashabsheh expressed hope that this vision would generate tangible positive economic effects on the local community, as preparing these sites to attract visitors would open prospects for creating new investment and employment opportunities for residents, contributing to boosting commercial activity, stimulating the local economy, and presenting Ajloun as a leading model in sustainable tourism.
Al-Bashabsheh noted that among these springs is Ain Al-Tais, a heritage icon that tells the story of the land and identity. Sitting at the entrance to the town of Ain Jana, "Ain Al-Tais" is not merely a passing water spring, but a symbol deeply rooted in the Ajlouni conscience and an icon that encapsulates the authenticity of the people of this land.
In this context, the municipality made sure that the rehabilitation work reflected this symbolic dimension, with completion at the site exceeding 80%. The work included rebuilding the spring in a heritage style using authentic local stone quarried from the heart of the Ajloun mountains, so that it appears as an integral part of the terrain. Extreme care was also taken to preserve the site's ancient oak tree, so it remains a living witness embodying folk heritage for visitors.
He added that Ain Um Jloud, located on the vital main road linking Ajloun, Jerash, and Amman, stands out for its strategic location as a welcoming gateway at the entrance to the Anjara area. The initiative succeeded in transforming this site into a fully integrated architectural masterpiece where nature blends with the scent of history — heritage touches were reflected in rebuilding the spring's façade and its arched gateway using Ajloun's distinctive yellow stone, engraved with Quranic verses recalling the sanctity and importance of water.
The project's features — nearing completion at a rate of 100% — reveal refined engineering planning: the site is distinguished by elegant pedestrian pathways paved with colored paving stones in a beautiful geometric symmetry, surrounded by beds of various flowers and colorful damask roses that add vitality and freshness along the roadside. The site will also be equipped with matching rest benches allowing visitors and passersby to enjoy the beauty of the place amid enchanting natural surroundings.
Governorate Council Committee
The head of the Governorate Council Committee, engineer Muawiyah Annab, called on relevant authorities to reconsider land classification in the governorate to facilitate optimal investment and licensing for environmental and tourism projects — particularly regarding the roads leading to these projects and proposed sites such as perennial valleys and water springs.
He added that the nature and terrain of the governorate require reconsidering how approvals are granted and increasing grants and allocations for implementing projects, especially since tourism is one of the most important sectors requiring budgets that align with the governorate's nature and its available resources.
Environmental Forum
In addition, the Jordanian Environmental Forum for Environmental Sustainability and Water Security, in cooperation with the Directorate of Environmental Protection in Ajloun Governorate, launched the "Water Springs Are Our Responsibility" campaign, concerned with cleaning and protecting the governorate's natural water springs and preserving their continuity and sustainability. The initiative's head, marine engineer Ahmad Ghazi Al-Qudah, affirmed that this campaign comes as part of strengthening community responsibility toward natural water sources, raising environmental awareness, and instilling a culture of volunteer work, contributing to preserving water springs as a national treasure and natural heritage reflecting Ajloun Governorate's tourism and agricultural identity.
He added that the campaign, carried out in partnership with the Directorate of Environmental Protection, civil society organizations, and volunteers, involves periodic field campaigns to clean water springs and their surroundings, engaging volunteers, young people, and local community institutions in volunteer environmental work, spreading environmental awareness, and promoting a culture of preserving water sources and natural resources.
It is worth noting that there are dozens of springs flowing year-round, scattered across the governorate, including Al-Ain Al-Sharqiya and Al-Barraniya in Ain Jana, Al-Aqda, Al-Alqa, Al-Zaghdiya, Al-Sakhna, Mahna, Um Qasim, Zuqaiq, and Rasoun.
