Sightseeing in Al-Karak - what to see. Complete travel guide

West Jordan offers tourists to visit the capital of one of the biggest regions in this part of the country - Al-Karak. The name of the city literally means “a town surrounded by a wall” when translated from Aramaic. An ancient castle is the highest spot in the region – in the past, this fortification belonged to crusaders. Al-Karak is situated not far from the border with Israel, so its ports have well-established trading routes with Jordan.

First settlers appeared in the territory of modern Al-Karak more than two thousand years BC. According to the Bible, these were Moabites and Ammonites. Kir of Moab was the first town in this area. For many years, it was the capital of the Moab Kingdom. The history of Al-Karak is the history of changing different rules and civilizations. During one period, the city was a part of the Assyrian Empire. After that, the Nabatean Kingdom made Al-Karak a part of its territory. Later, crusaders invaded this territory only to be replaced with Mamluks. Nowadays, Al-Karak is an incredibly interesting place that attracts tourists from all over the world.

When visiting this part of Jordan, don’t forget to try local dishes that are widely present on the menus of Al-Karak’s restaurants. The city’s dining establishments please their guests with large and diverse menus full of interesting specialties such as ostrich meat steaks. Local food with young chicken has a distinct and unforgettable taste. All local recipes contain blends of herbs that are typical for Al-Karak only. You will not find similar tastes in any other restaurant around the world. Vegetarian guests may find it interesting to try Halloumi. It is impossible to fail to mention mushrooms with garlic and thymes. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Tourists may be interested to learn more about the landmarks that they should visit in Al-Karak. The ancient castle, Kerak Castle, is a must-visit attraction. It is situated in the southern part of Al Qala'a Street. During a walk on this street, tourists will see multiple displays with interesting information about the most important events in the history of this region. There are mysterious dark corners that are possible to explore only if you have a flashlight. Having reached the north-eastern tower, vacationers can enter military barracks. All walls in the castle are decorated with old writings that unleash mysteries of the past and make visitors feel like they are time traveling.

Don’t forget to explore an important part of the gorgeous castle – its stone slope. This slope was very important in the past as it was continuously defending the area from invaders and made it hard for prisoners to escape their prison cells. Besides this, many prisoners of famous Raynald of Châtillon ended their life falling down from the slope. That is why this area has become a symbol of not only safety but also sorrow and grief.

During a visit to the castle, take a look at the citadel that overlooks Umm al-Thallaja. The main purpose of this building was to protect the castle from invasions. For this purpose, walls of the citadel are very thick (up to 6.5m) and have ridged edges. Not many protective facilities have walls of this kind. The citadel was built for the first time in 1260.

In order to learn more about traditions of Al-Karak and see interesting items created many years ago, don’t forget to visit the Al-Karak Museum that exhibits many precious findings and treasured discovered by archaeologists. In this museum, visitors can see many artifacts of different periods in the history of the city – Moabian, Byzantine, and Islamic. Besides this, a part of the exhibition is dedicated to crusaders and the time when the castle was their property.

The nearby settlement of Dana has only recently become open for visitors. This unique village is located only 30 kilometers away from Al-Karak. For tourists, this is a unique opportunity to see the ancient architectural world of the region. You will be able to learn more about Jordanian traditions. All houses here were built several centuries ago, but, despite this fact, people still live in Dana and carefully keep the traditions of their ancestors.

It is possible to reach the Jordanian city of Al-Karak by bus that makes rides to the area every day. If you want to visit the architectural treasure of the region – Dana Village – then you need to take a local minibus. It is also possible to get a taxi that will take you from Amman to Al-Karak. The road between these cities is a deserted place. Tourists can also choose to drive on the King’s Highway, but this ancient road is longer. On their way to Al-Karak, tourists can also visit such cities as Madaba and Wadi. Al-Karak itself is suitable for exploring on foot. This is particularly true about the historic center of the city that mostly consists of narrow winding streets with one-lane traffic.