- Type
- Castle
- Built
- c. 710 · 8th century
- Style
- Islamic architecture
- Coordinates
- 31.7289°, 36.4628°
History
Qasr Kharana is one of the best-preserved of the so-called desert castles of the Umayyad dynasty. It is dated by an inscription painted in an upstairs room mentioning the year 92 of the Hijra, or AD 710, so it was probably built shortly before. Although from outside it looks like a fortress with corner towers, the narrow slits in its walls are useless for shooting and the towers are solid. Scholars believe it was more likely a caravan stop or a meeting place where the caliphs met the leaders of Bedouin tribes. Some also suspect an older, pre-Islamic building beneath it.
What to see
The building stands alone on a flat, stony desert by the road from Amman to Azraq, about 60 kilometres from the capital. A single gate in the south wall leads to a courtyard surrounded by some 60 rooms on two floors. The upstairs rooms keep their vaults, stucco decoration and rosettes. A visit easily combines with the nearby castles of Qusayr Amra and Azraq.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q537641
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