Location: Lisan Peninsula;
travel from Amman South along the coastal highway through the Mujib Bridge to the town of Safi. Turn left here and follow the signs.
Lot's Cave is a religious complex built around natural cave. It is allegedly the same cave that was visited by Lot and his two daughters who came here after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Little is known about historical towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. All that we know is taken from books of the Old Testament. Some historians believe that it existed around 4000 years ago, although others deny its existence altogether. According to Genesis, Lot was a nephew of Abraham, father of Jews and Arab people. Unlike his uncle who lived as a Bedouin in the deserts, Lot lived in a permanent house in Sodom. God chose to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah due to depravity, cruelty and loose morals. Lot who lived a righteous life was visited by angels sent by God. They told him to leave the city with his family. The only condition that they gave is Lot along with this family couldn't look back as the cities would be destroyed. Lot's wife violated the ordered and took a glance at her hometown. She broke the prohibition and was quickly turned into a pillar of salt.
According to the biblical texts Lot continued his travel along with his two daughters. They took a shelter in a small cave not far from the Dead Sea basin. Apparently they assumed that they were the last people left on Earth. Daughters got their father drunk and convinced him to have sexual relationship with them. Both daughters conceived from their father and later gave birth in the cave. The older daughter gave birth to a son Moab who became the ancestor of the Moabites, while the younger daughter gave birth to another son Ben- ammi, the future father of all Ammonites.
Oral tradition that existed in the region claimed that this cave was the site where Lot took shelter with his children. Madaba Map that date to the 6th century depicted Lot's Cave in its current location. During the Byzantine period a Christian monastery was built around Lot's Cave. Abbey included living cells for the monks, church, small hotel for the pilgrims. Additionally there are several tombs on the outskirts of the Lot's Cave monastery. Also there is are ruins of a beautiful Byzantine church with surviving mosaic floor.