Ajloun Castle, also called Al-Rabad Castle or Saladin Castle, is located in the Ajloun Governorate in Jordan on Mount Bani Awf. It was built by Commander Izz al-Din Osama, one of Saladin’s leaders, in 1184, so that it would be a focal point in protecting the region.

And maintaining all transportation lines and pilgrimage routes between the Levant and the Hijaz in its supervision of the Jordan Valley through its control of the area extending between the Red Sea and Lake Tiberias, which is a prominent archaeological landmark and history in the governorate.

It is 73 km away from the capital, Amman, to the northwest. Next to it, archaeological excavations revealed the remains of a church dating back to the early Byzantine era. To learn a lot about the citadel, you can through this article. Just follow it until the end.

Ajloun Castle

It is one of the wonderful castles built by Commander Izz al-Din Osama in 1984. The castle is located in the city of Ajloun in Jordan on the top of Mount Awf overlooking the valleys of Kafranja and Yabis. The location of the castle is considered an important strategic location as it controls the transportation routes between southern Jordan and Syria.

It was built with the aim of monitoring all the movements of the Crusaders and preventing the spread of their forces in the Ajloun region. It is a point to protect the region and preserve all transportation lines. The main goal of its construction was to secure the region while preventing the expansion of the Crusader forces in the eastern region of the Jordan River.

The castle is considered a base for exploiting the iron mines in the Ajloun Mountains, which is known as Warda Cave, in addition to its military importance and the discovery of archaeological excavations. The castle is distinguished by its interesting design, as it was built in a semi-square shape and includes 4 towers.

Each tower consists of two floors, and after the Battle of Hattin, two towers were added to the right of the entrance to the castle. It also contains a group of narrow corridors with the addition of spacious halls that were a place for soldiers to sleep and stables for horses.

Ajloun Castle design

It was designed in a way that ensures protection and defense, as it is surrounded by a deep trench with an average width of 16 meters and a depth of 12 to 15 metres. The trench was used to collect water and as an impenetrable barrier that is difficult to break into.

The castle is characterized by fortified gates and high towers that provide an ideal location for surveillance and defence. Among the historical aspects of the castle, it was named Ibn Freih Castle by the Ottomans in the name of the Al-Farihat tribe that ruled the region at this time.

The castle is considered an important tourist site in Jordan and is visited by many tourists from all over the world to explore its history and beauty. Its strategic location provides stunning natural scenery, and visitors can see the mountains of Jerusalem on the western horizon.

The castle is the Ajloun Antiquities Museum, which was opened in 2003 and contains a large collection of artifacts that were discovered in the surrounding area. The pieces displayed in the museum include ancient Arabic inscriptions, fire bombs, pottery, catapult shells, and cash transactions.

Through its powerful citadel and strategic location, the citadel is an important monument from the history of Islam and is considered a must-visit tourist attraction in Jordan. It is a witness to the genius of Islamic military engineering while embodying the splendor of ancient architecture.

Places to explore in Ajloun Castle

In addition to providing opportunities for visitors to enjoy a unique experience, visitors can explore the narrow lanes of the castle and its ancient towers, while providing exciting opportunities to explore Jordanian history and culture.

Visitors can also enjoy stunning views of the landscape surrounding the castle. The mountains of Jerusalem can be seen on the western horizon and enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding area and the valley that extends below.

It is considered an important site for celebrations and cultural events. Festivals, artistic skills, and musical performances are organized in the hall’s courtyard, which makes it a vital center for cultural life in the region. In short, the castle is one of the most prominent tourist attractions in Jordan. It is distinguished by its rich history, its military structure, and its natural beauty. It is a must-visit experience that cannot be missed and enjoy the beauty and history. The ancient one.

Features of Ajloun Castle

The castle is considered a historical landmark in Jordan and contains many important and exciting elements. The most prominent of these features are:

• Historical and cultural value. The castle was built back to the Middle Ages, which makes it carry an artistic history and exciting stories. The castle reflects the military and defensive architecture of the Middle Ages and its strategic formation on the top of the mountain.
• Geographical location: The castle is located in the city of Ajloun in northwest Jordan. It occupies an elevated position that provides a panoramic view of the surrounding areas, making it an important tourist station.
• Architectural design: The design of the castle reflects strategic military architecture of the Middle Ages and is distinguished by its thick walls, defensive towers and fortified doors that reflect strategic thinking in securing the site.
• Natural scenery, looking at the picturesque nature, which includes mountains, plains and valleys, making it an attractive place to enjoy watching the wonderful landscapes with photography.
• Cultural activities: The castle hosts a lot of cultural and artistic events, exhibitions and highlights the cultural style of the region while promoting cultural interaction.

The distance between Ajloun Castle and the rest of Jordan's governorates

Some nearby distances between the citadel and the Jordanian governorates:

• From the Citadel to Amman it is approximately 76 km.
• Also from the castle to Irbid is approximately 37 km.
• From the castle to Zarqa, approximately 92 km.
• From the castle to Aqaba, it is approximately 267 km.
• Also from the castle to Ma'an is approximately 211 km.
• From the castle to Karak, approximately 157 km.
• Also from the castle to Balqa is approximately 49 km.

Ajloun Castle from the inside

The Ajloun Antiquities Museum was opened in 2003 in two halls in the Ibak Bin Abdullah Tower inside the castle after maintenance and restoration work had been carried out on them. The artifacts were displayed in 21 cabinets, and these pieces represent different historical eras.

Among this piece, artifacts were displayed depending on the location and the topics they represented, discovered in the citadel, such as fire bombs and jugs, and from Abu Sarbut Hill, sugar-making utensils were displayed in special cabinets, and small copper pieces and coins were displayed in individual cabinets, a treasury in which a group of artifacts gifted by a citizen were displayed.

Activities to do in Ajloun Castle

There are many activities that visitors can do inside and around the castle, and these activities include:

• Tourists in the castle can go to the small museum in it, which contains historical information about it and contains a collection of artifacts, including weapons from the Middle Ages.
• Tourists can also slide down one of the towers of the castle, starting from its top, so that they can see the hills surrounding the Jordan Valley, as well as enjoy the view of the surrounding desert.
• Next to the castle there are groves of olive trees with distinctive walking paths, where tourists can practice walking on one of these paths, especially in the spring when these paths are decorated with wild flowers.
• Ajloun Castle is a special place for photography, where budding photographers can enjoy photographing the scenic surroundings.
• Tourists can also go to Ajloun Nature Reserve, but it is a long distance from the castle.

Visiting times for Ajloun Castle

The castle opens its doors from 8:00 in the morning, but its closing varies according to the months of the year and is as follows:

• In the summer, the castle closes at 5:30 pm.
• From April until May it closes at 5:30 pm.
• During the month of Ramadan, it closes at 3:00 pm.
• From November until April it closes at 4:00 pm.

In the end, Ajloun Castle is considered one of the ancient castles in Jordan and has many places that can be visited and its history explored, in addition to its attractive appearance, archaeological design, and strategic location.