Aqaba, Jordan
Aqaba Fort, the Mamluk Castle, stands on the Aqaba corniche at the southern end of the city beach, in the shadow of the towering flagpole that flies the flag of the Great Arab Revolt, next to the house of Sharif Hussein bin Ali that is now the Aqaba Archaeological Museum. The Mamluk sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri built it in the early 16th century (about 1507–1517) on the site of an older fort as a fortified station where the Egyptian and North African pilgrim caravans rested on their way to Makkah and Madinah; at heart it is a pilgrims' caravanserai rather than a war castle, and the sultan's foundation inscription still sits above the gate. Through four Ottoman centuries it remained a quiet halt on the Hajj road until its moment in history came in July 1917, when the forces of the Great Arab Revolt under Sharif Hussein and his sons took it after a march across the desert, making Aqaba the Revolt's port; the Hashemite coat of arms was added over the entrance to mark the event. The plan is roughly square with stone towers at the corners; a massive gate leads through a vaulted passage to an open courtyard ringed by two large halls and rooms for pilgrims. Today it is a museum site visited together with the neighbouring museum and the flagpole square on one walk along the corniche.
Visit in the morning or before sunset when the heat eases, and combine the fort with the archaeological museum in the house next door and the flagpole square in an hour to an hour and a half. The ticket is 3 JOD and free with the Jordan Pass according to Wikivoyage; the official hours for Sharif Hussein's House (the museum) are on the government ticketing portal. The courtyard is exposed, so carry water and a hat. The Sharif Hussein bin Ali Mosque is close by for prayer, and Aqaba's restaurants are all halal and famous for sayadieh (fish with rice).
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: ar.wikipedia.org
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