Ajloun Castle

Coordinates: 32°19′30.75″N 35°43′38.21″E / 32.3252083°N 35.7272806°E / 32.3252083; 35.7272806
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Ajlun Castle
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Ajloun Castle
قلعة عجلون
Ajloun, Jordan
Ajloun Castle
Ajloun Castle قلعة عجلون is located in Jordan
Ajloun Castle قلعة عجلون
Ajloun Castle
قلعة عجلون
Coordinates32°19′30.75″N 35°43′38.21″E / 32.3252083°N 35.7272806°E / 32.3252083; 35.7272806
TypeCastle
Northeast facade with entrance
Ajlun castle, seen from the east

Ajloun Castle (

Mamluks
in the 13th.

Names

The name 'Ajlun goes back to a Christian monk who lived on this mountain in the

Byzantine period.[1]

The castle has been the nucleus of a settlement which has grown to become the present town of Ajloun. The castle's developing faubourg led to its second name, Qalʻat ar-Rabad, "the castle of the faubourg" or "the castle with the suburbs".[2] This name still resonates in the surname of a large and reputable Christian family owning most of the agricultural lands in the direct vicinity of the castle until this day, the Al-Rabadis.

History

Byzantine monastery

Interior walls with carved ancient spolia

Ajlun Castle is located on the site of an old monastery, traces of which were discovered during archaeological excavations. Tradition has it that the name 'Ajlun goes back to a Byzantine-period monk who lived in the area.

12th-century Ayyubid castle

Purpose

It was rebuilt as a castle in 1184 by

Karak
in the south.

From its location, the fortress dominated a wide stretch of the northern

Wadi al-Yabis), and protected the communication routes between southern Jordan and Syria. It was built to contain the progress of the Latin Kingdom, which with the Lordship of Oultrejordain had gained a foothold in Transjordan, and as a retort to the castle of Belvoir a few miles south of the Sea of Galilee
. Another major objective of the fortress was to protect the development and control of the iron mines of Ajlun.

Original outline

The original castle had four corner towers connected by curtain walls and a double gate. Arrow slits were incorporated in the thick walls and it was surrounded by a moat averaging 16 meters (about 52 feet) in width and 12–15 meters (about 40–50 feet) in depth.

13th century: expansion, Mongol destruction, restoration

After Usama's death, the castle was enlarged in AD 1214–15 by Aibak ibn Abdullah, the Mamluk governor. He added a new tower in the southeast corner and built the gate.

The castle lost its military importance after the fall of Karak in AD 1187 to the Ayyubids. In the middle of the 13th century AD, the castle was conceded to Yousef ibn Ayoub, emir of Aleppo and Damascus, who restored the northeastern tower and used the castle as an administrative center.

In 1260 AD, the

Baibars restored the castle and cleared the fosse. The castle was used as a storehouse for crops and provisions. When Izz ad-Din Aibak
was appointed governor, he renovated the castle as indicated by an inscription found in the castle's south-western tower.

Ottoman period

During the

Fakhr ad-Din al-Ma'ni II used it during his fight against Ahmad ibn Tarbay. He supplied the castle with a contingent and provided provisions and ammunition. In 1812, the Swiss traveller Johann Ludwig Burckhardt
found the castle inhabited by around forty people.

Earthquakes and restoration

Two major destructive earthquakes struck the castle in 1837 and 1927. Recently, the Department of Antiquities of Jordan has sponsored a program of restoration and consolidation of the walls and has rebuilt the bridge over the fosse.

Tourism

Ajlun castle is open for tourism. Many areas of the castle can be explored. Tourists in Jordan often visit the castle. Inside there is also a museum exhibition with many interesting artifacts from the various time periods of the region.

Ajloun Cable Car

Tour guide Ahlam Serhan highlights the unique perspective that the cable car offers in showcasing Ajloun’s historical and natural landmarks. By gliding through the air, visitors will gain a deeper understanding of the region’s rich history and cultural significance. Importantly, Serhan emphasizes that the cable car promotes sustainable tourism, as it minimizes the impact on Ajloun’s natural resources. Visitors can now appreciate the area’s beauty without disturbing the delicate ecosystem that sustains it.[1]

Gallery

  • General view of the castle atop Jabal 'Auf
    General view of the castle atop Jabal 'Auf
  • General view, castle and mount
    General view, castle and mount
  • General view at night
    General view at night
  • Castle walls from outside
    Castle walls from outside
  • Moat, bridge, and outer gate
    Moat, bridge, and outer gate
  • Bridge over the moat, outer gate
    Bridge over the moat, outer gate
  • Second gate
    Second gate
  • Passage (stairs) ascending from inner gate, door to museum
    Passage (stairs) ascending from inner gate, door to museum
  • Castle hall housing the museum
    Castle hall housing the museum
  • Museum: stone-carved door of ancient grave
    Museum: stone-carved door of ancient grave
  • Ajloun Castle Museum: ancient multi-wick oil lamp
    Ajloun Castle Museum: ancient multi-wick oil lamp
  • Ajloun Castle Museum: Christian oil lamp, Byzantine period
    Ajloun Castle Museum: Christian oil lamp, Byzantine period
  • Ajloun Castle Museum: Roman glass vessel
    Ajloun Castle Museum: Roman glass vessel
  • Ajloun Castle Museum: Roman glass object
    Ajloun Castle Museum: Roman glass object
  • Ajloun Castle Museum: preserved Byzantine mosaic floor
    Ajloun Castle Museum: preserved Byzantine mosaic floor
  • Inner view (corridor)
    Inner view (corridor)
  • Inner view (door between corridor and room)
    Inner view (door between corridor and room)
  • One of the watchtowers
    One of the watchtowers
  • Vaulted ceiling
    Vaulted ceiling
  • Ajloun Mountains
    Ajloun Mountains
  • Ajloun Mountains
    Ajloun Mountains

References

  1. ^ Maurice Gaudefroy-Demombynes, La Syrie à l'époque des Mamelouks d'après les auteurs arabes, Bibliothèque archéologique et historique du Service des Antiquités et des Beaux-Arts en Syrie et au Liban, vol. III, Paris 1923, p 66
  2. ^ Johns, C.N. (Cedric Norman). Medieval 'Ajlun, p. 30.
  3. . Ajloun earthquake damage.
  4. Cartulaire général de l'ordre des Hospitaliers
    de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem (1100-1301), vol. I, Paris 1894, p 395-396, No. 582 of 28 April 1180

Bibliography

  • Darwish, Nazmieh Rida Tawfiq (1990). Jordan. Plurigraf Narni.

External links