Ajloun, Jordan
Ajloun Castle, medieval name Qalʻat ar-Rabad, is a 12th-century Muslim castle situated in northwestern Jordan. It is placed on a hilltop belonging to the Mount Ajloun district, also known as Jabal Auf after an Arab tribe that lived in the area in the 12th century. From its high ground the castle was guarding three wadis which descend towards the Jordan Valley. It was built by the Ayyubids in the 12th century and enlarged by the Mamluks in the 13th.
Ajloun Castle, also known as Qal'at ar-Rabad and Saladin's Castle, is a 12th-century Muslim fortress crowning the summit of Jabal Auf at about 1,250 m in north-western Jordan, overlooking the valleys of Kufranjah, Rajib and al-Yabis as they drop towards the Jordan Valley. It was built in 1184 by Izz al-Din Usama, one of Salah ad-Din's commanders, to face the Crusader castles across the river, to protect the caravan road between Damascus and Egypt and the pilgrimage route, and to control the iron mines of the Ajloun hills. It is considered one of the most complete and best-preserved examples of medieval Arab-Islamic military architecture. The original castle had four corner towers joined by curtain walls, a double gate and a deep moat; the Mamluk governor Aibak ibn Abdullah enlarged it in 1214–1215 with a south-eastern tower. The Mongols damaged it in 1260 and Sultan Baybars restored it, and the earthquakes of 1837 and 1927 did further harm before modern restoration brought it back. Today it houses a small museum with finds from several periods, and a cable car to the castle opened in June 2023. From the walls there are wide views over the Jordan Valley and the northern highlands, as well as the surrounding Ajloun forests.
The castle stands about 3 km from the centre of Ajloun on a hilltop reached by taxi, cable car or on foot; allow an hour to an hour and a half for the visit and the views. The inner passages are dark and the stone stairs uneven, so mind children and older visitors and bring a small torch. Late afternoon is best, when the sun softens and the view to the west clears. It combines well in one day with Jerash (about 30 km) and the Ajloun Forest Reserve; buses from Tabarbour station in Amman leave when full, so set out early.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: ar.wikipedia.org
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