Eastern Jordan seems quite remote: a couple of big asphalt roads leading towards Iraq and Saudi Arabia, lots of rough desert terrain, rocks, and sand. It doesn’t sound like a place you would like to build your castle into. However, this has not always been the case. Centuries ago there were rivers and lush green wetlands full of birds and animals. Now that’s a place where an Umayyad caliph would want their mansion to be. These castles were built around 7th and 8th centuries, which makes them good examples of Umayyad architecture from the early and medieval Islamic periods. Actually, these are not castles, more like country estates with multiple buildings, but hey, castles sound so much cooler, doesn’t it?
This trip really combined two different sides of me: the history nerd who gets excited about architecture and frescoes, and the nature lover, who enjoys the desert and the uniqueness of the oasis in the middle of it. Seeing the oasis dried up made me quite sad, as you can clearly see the effect of human actions on our environment. Luckily protection measures have been taken.
If you want to do this trip, rent a car and head east! You can visit all the castles with one ticket that costs around 3 JDs. The Wetland Reserve entrance fee depends on your status: normal price is around 12 JDs, half-price for students.
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