CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY MUSEUM BEGINS

Amman, July 3 (Petra) - The Jordan-Hejaz Railway Corporation (JHR) has commenced the construction of the Railway Museum, slated to be one of the largest railway museums in the Middle East, in cooperation with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in Amman's station area.

Zahi Khalil, Director General of JHR, announced that TIKA has provided a JD3.5 million grant to Jordan for establishing the museum, which will cover an area of 4,000 square meters. The project includes the restoration of historical buildings in the station area and the refurbishment of train cars, with completion expected by the first quarter of next year.

Khalil emphasized that the museum will showcase the rich history of the Jordan-Hejaz train, serving as a significant historical landmark and aiming to attract tourists to downtown Amman.

The museum will house a collection of rare railway artifacts and historical items used during the operation of the train. It will feature theaters presenting the history of the railway line, making it an appealing destination for international and regional tourists as well as local visitors.

Khalil highlighted that an agreement with Turkey in 2016 paved the way for the museum's establishment and the preservation of the station's sites. The construction will incorporate modern techniques aligned with international museum standards and advanced technological methods.

Historically, the railway line was originally intended to run from Damascus through Daraa, Mafraq, Zarqa, Amman, Ma’an, and Al-Mudawwara, with plans to extend to Medina, and potentially to Mecca and Aden in Yemen, though this expansion was hindered by circumstances during the Ottoman Empire era.

//Petra// AJ

03/07/2024 14:52:28

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