Monuments to visit Azraq

The present castle, made of large blocks of black basalt, was built by the Ayyubids in the 13th century. The site had previously housed Roman garrisons (between 286 and 305) and then Byzantine garrisons, as evidenced by inscriptions here and there. Built on a quadrangular plan, this fortress controlled the Wadi Sirham valley on the trade route between Arabia and Syria, where caravans loaded with goods flowed. The fortress originally had three floors but was largely destroyed by the 1927 earthquake. The fort served as the headquarters of Sherif Hussein of Mecca and Lawrence of Arabia's troops during the Great Revolt. It was from Azraq that the Sheriff undertook his final assault on the city of Damascus, which marked the defeat of the Turks and the end of the First World War in the Middle East.

The tower through which one enters the fortress has several inscriptions in Latin, Greek and Arabic. The room above the southern entrance was that of T.E. Lawrence. The west gate still has its heavy basalt leaves (over 3 tons each) which are still in use. This type of gate is a legacy from Roman times and was frequently used throughout the Byzantine period. In the centre of the fort, the 13th-century mosque, facing Mecca, was built by the Ayyubids, the dynasty founded by Saladin, on the ruins of a Byzantine church. Its fine columns are noteworthy.

It is difficult to reach this castle, the most isolated of the desert qasr. It is located on the border between the governorates of Amman and Ma'an, 85 kilometers south of Azraq. Built in 743 by Caliph Walid II for his sons, it is the southernmost Umayyad castle. Despite its impressive dimensions, the work is unfinished. As with the Qasr Mushatta, the assassination of Walid II aborted the completion of the construction work. Originally, the project included two monumental wings with semi-circular towers projected on the facades. Only the west wing seems to have been completed. The castle may have served as a hunting lodge for the sons of Walid II and certainly as a caravanserai for Bedouins transiting from Saudi Arabia to western Iraq or Syria. Like all desert castles, Qasr al-Tuba is located near a water source. A dry wadi lies nearby, and a dam and wells have been discovered at the site.

The western wing of 140 meters by 72 meters is divided into two squares connected by a narrow corridor, which could be closed in case of need. Access to each of the living areas was through a majestic door. One of these was found and is now on display at the Citadel Archaeological Museum in Amman. The building has a vaulted roof. The whole structure is covered with clay bricks, which provided good protection from the sun and heat, but which are not found on any other qasr.

On the road to As-Safawi is this small fort with walls of large black basalt blocks. Located at the top of a hill, it can be spotted from afar and is only accessible by a 4x4 off-road trip. Qasr Aseikhin offers little to see, except a breathtaking view of the surrounding desert plains. No inscriptions have been found on the site, which makes it even more difficult for historians, who nevertheless agree that the fortress was built by the Nabataeans in the first century and then rebuilt by the Romans in the third century, who used it to protect the eastern border of the Empire. The site was later occupied by the Umayyads. But no dating can be established with certainty and archaeologists have not yet taken any real interest in this castle. The problem of bringing fresh water to the site probably explains why this fort did not enjoy the splendor of other castles. The remains of a mosque can still be clearly seen along the eastern wall of the fort. It was accessed through two independent entrances located to the north and east. The foundations of the minaret are also visible. It seems that the mosque has been rebuilt. The large number of stones scattered on the ground suggests that the castle was excavated by looters. Indelicate, they would have even used bulldozers to facilitate their research. Did they find any treasure? History does not say so...