His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday issued directives to provide Jabal Al Qalaa, which houses the Amman Citadel, with the infrastructure services needed to preserve its historical value and upgrade its importance as a tourist attraction.

During a visit to the Citadel on Tuesday, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Rania and several officials, King Abdullah underlined the need to preserve the capital's ancient heritage.

Jabal Al Qalaa, one of the oldest areas in Amman, has recently undergone rehabilitation by the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) as part of a plan to revive the downtown Amman area.

The King also directed concerned parties to implement projects that safeguard historical and archaeological sites in a manner that preserves the city's history and keeps pace with modern developments.

Touring the refurbished areas Tuesday, the King and the Queen were briefed on the project and its implementation phases by Amman Mayor Omar Maani.

GAM has completed developments at the Citadel, including the construction of a gateway and a 100-square-metre visitors' centre with restroom facilities and a refreshment stand, in addition to renovating the garden of the Jordan Archaeological Museum, which originally dates back to 1951.

The project to renovate and overhaul Jabal Al Qalaa is part of a larger plan to develop and revive downtown Amman by transforming it into a tourist attraction and boosting commercial activity by creating new business opportunities, Maani said.

By providing a system of integrated services, the project will transform the Citadel into a historical attraction that provides tourists with all their needs, Maani noted.

Highlighting the impact of the project on area residents, the mayor said it has had a positive impact on the Jabal Al Qalaa neighbourhood and stressed that GAM has met the residents' needs and upgraded various services.

Commenting on the project, Tourism Minister Maha Khatib said the plan, prepared in cooperation between the ministry and GAM, is designed to develop the area and visitor services to encourage tourists to extend their stay in the capital.

During the visit, the King and the Queen also saw a model of an urban agricultural project to establish roof gardens in the centre of the city.

GAM is implementing the project, with the support of the World Bank and area residents, Maani said, adding that it will start with houses surrounding the Citadel site and extend to other areas, with the goal of creating 10,000 roof gardens.