Sights in The Eastern Desert
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Qasr al-Mushatta
Of the five major desert castles, the ‘winter palace’ of Qasral-Mushatta is the most difficult and time consuming to reach, and thus usually not part of most organised tours. But this is not to say that Mushatta is located in the middle of nowhere – on the contrary, it’s actually the closest of the desert castles to Amman. In fact, if you’re travelling around Jordan in a rental car, the ruins may be the last thing you see in the country as they’re located right next to Queen Alia International Airport! The construction of Qasr al-Mushatta is believed to have started in about AD 743, under Caliph Walid II, who intended to establish a large city in the area. Although the…
reviewed
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Qasr Burqu
You have to be pretty dedicated to visit this brooding black basalt fort, which stands guard over the silent shores of Ghadir (Lake) Burqu. Of course, the apparent incongruity of the lake in the harsh desert is what makes this place so special. With a tent, some basic survival gear and a reliable 4WD, you could have a serious adventure out here. It is precisely for this reason that the RSCN has been fighting to establish Burqu as a protected reserve, which would fit nicely into its plans to develop tourism in the Eastern Desert. At the time of writing, however, it was not possible to organise trips to Qasr Burqu from the RSCN base in Azraq, though this may change in the y…
reviewed
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Azraq Wetland Reserve
For several millennia, the Qa’al Azraq (Azraq Basin) comprised a huge area of mudflats, pools and marshlands, which lead to the establishment of Azraq as one of the most important oasis towns in the Levant. Although the basin was declared an ‘internationally important wetland’ by the Jordanian government in 1977, this largely token gesture couldn’t stop the horrific environmental destruction that was being wrought on the area. In an effort to provide fresh drinking water to the burgeoning cities of Amman and Irbid, the wetlands suffered appalling ecological damage in a remarkably short time, and were virtually bone dry by 1991. In recent years, the RSCN has seized cont…
reviewed
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Qusayr Kharana
Located in the middle of a vast, treeless plain, this mighty fortress was most likely the inspiration for the somewhat incorrect ‘desert castles’ moniker. The intimidating two-storey structure is marked by round, defensive towers and narrow windows that appear to be arrow slits. If you take a closer look, however, you’ll soon realise that the towers are completely solid, which means that they couldn’t be manned by armed soldiers. Furthermore, it would be impossible to fire bows from the bizarrely shaped ‘arrow slits', meaning that they most likely served as air and light ducts. Although it clearly isn’t a castle, Kharana was nevertheless a vital building for the Umayya…
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Qasr al-Tuba
Easily the most impressive of the lesser-known castles, Tuba is located approximately 75km southeast of Amman in the absolute middle of nowhere. This is precisely why it’s worth making an expedition out here – with little to no surrounding development, Tuba captures the original essence of ‘luxury in the desert’ that drove the Umayyads to launch their massive building campaign. Tuba was erected by Caliph Walid II in about AD 743, though like Qasr al-Mushatta, it was left to waste following his sudden assassination. Despite its seemingly remote location, however, the castle was probably going to be a caravanserai, which would have served as a vital staging post on the I…
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Shaumari Wildlife Reserve
Established in 1975 by the RSCN, the 22 sq km Shaumari Wildlife Reserve aims to reintroduce wildlife that has disappeared from the region, most notably the highly endangered Arabian oryx. Despite intense funding hurdles, natural predators and the continuous threat of poaching, oryx, Persian onagers (wild ass), goitered gazelle and ostrich have flourished here – a testament to RSCN efforts. Shaumari’s small size means that it is not the place to go to see wildlife roaming the plains unhindered, but it is certainly worth a visit, even if only to catch a rare glimpse of some of the region’s most endangered wildlife. The environmentally significant work being conducted her…
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Qusayr Amra
One of the best-preserved desert buildings of the Umayyads, the Unesco World Heritage Site of Qusayr Amra is the highlight of any trip out into the Eastern Desert. Part of a much greater complex that served as a caravanserai, bathhouse and hunting lodge, the qusayr (little castle) is famous for its hedonistic (and somewhat risqué) 8th-century frescoes of wine, women and wild good times. According to some historians, only out here in the isolated wilds of the desert did the caliphs feel comfortable about flouting Islam’s edicts. Qusayr Amra seems to rise incongruously from the parched, dry desert plains, though in ancient times the site was adjacent to a lush wadi fame…
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Qasr al-Azraq
This imposing fort is where TE Lawrence and Sharif Hussein bin Ali based themselves in the winter of 1917–18 during the Arab Revolt against the Turks. Lawrence set up his quarters in the room above the southern entrance, while his loyal followers braved the elements in other areas of the fort. They were holed up here for several months in crowded conditions with little shelter from the intense cold – gaping holes in the roof were patched up with nothing but palm branches and clay. Despite the hardships endured during his stay at Azraq, TE Lawrence writes fondly about the time spent with his men at arms. In the evenings everyone would assemble before a great fire in the…
reviewed
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Qasr Aseikhin
This small Roman fort, built from basalt in the 3rd century over the ruins of a 1st- century Nabataean building, is worth visiting if you’re a fan of 4WD adventure. The small structure is about 22km northeast of North Azraq, but you will need a high-clearance vehicle and some local advice before setting out. Go along the road north of Qasr al-Azraq for about 15km, and follow the signs to the fort. It’s a tough ride out here, but after arriving at the fort you’ll be rewarded by sweeping views of the surrounding nothingness.
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Qasr Mushash
Although this rather large (2 sq km) Umayyad settlement was once a grand city in the desert, today Mushash sadly lies in virtual ruin. However, it’s still possible to get a sense of the original layout, and there are a number of impressive buildings left standing including the remains of a palace, a large courtyard surrounded by a dozen rooms, baths, cisterns and walls built to protect against possible flooding. Only accessible by 4WD, Mushash can be reached via an access road along Hwy 40.
reviewed
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Qasr al-Muwaqqar
Not much is known about this former Umayyad caravanserai as its remains are fairly decrepit, and look like they’ve seen much better centuries. If you squint your eyes, you can still make out the shapes of some ancient reservoirs and a column or two, though there is little else to see. However, a 10m stone tower with Kufic inscriptions, which now stands in the National Archaeological Museum in Amman, was found by archaeologists at the site. The ruins are located about 2km north of Hwy 40.
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Qasr ‘Uweinid
This Roman military fort was built in the 3rd century AD to protect the source of Wadi as-Sirhan (now in Saudi Arabia), but was abandoned less than 100 years later. However, it remains as one of the oldest standing desert castles, and is a powerful reminder of the past Roman occupation of the area. Uweinid is only accessible by 4WD, and is located about 15km southwest of Azraq al-Janubi (South Azraq) – look for the turn-off along the road towards Shaumari Wildlife Reserve.
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Qasr Deir al-Kahf
Built in the 4th century, the ‘Monastery of Caves’ is another purpose-built Roman fort that primarily served as a sentry post. Like its famous neighbour Umm al-Jimal, Deir al-Kahf is also constructed of black basalt, though the ruins here are not nearly as extensive. However, the scattered remains of the fort are atmospheric, and serve as a nice diversion. There is an access road north of Hwy 10, or look for the signs along the back roads east of Umm al-Jimal.
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Qasr ‘Ain Es-Sil
This is not really a castle or a fort, but rather a humble farmhouse built by the Umayyads, possibly over the existing fortifications of a Roman building. Rather small (17 sq metres) and built from simple basalt brick, there are ruins here of a courtyard (flanked by seven rooms), equipment for making bread and olive oil, and some baths. It is located just off the main road through Azraq ash-Shomali (North Azraq), and about 2km from Qasr al-Azraq.
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Qasr al-Qastal
This ruined Umayyad settlement is unique, as it was ornately renovated by the Mamluks in the 13th century AD. Sadly, time has not been kind to the beautiful palace that once stood, though you can still get a sense of its former majesty. The site, located just to the west of the Desert Highway before the turn-off to the airport, is also home to the ruins of an Islamic cemetery and bathhouse.
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