Visit a collection of centuries-old castles and palaces that lay scattered across the barren desert plains of northern-central Jordan.
The Zarqa Governorate is a region that stretches east from Amman and across arid landscapes to the border of Saudi Arabia. It’s famous for the Desert Castles, a series of bathhouses, caravan stations, forts and hunting lodges that showcase early Islamic art and architecture. They helped the Umayyad dynasty forge relationships and establish trade deals with local bedouins. Visit the ancient monuments of the Zarqa Governorate in addition to wetlands and a nature reserve.
Many of the region’s attractions are within comfortable driving distance of Jordan’s capital, Amman. Qasr al-Hallabat started life as a Roman fort and was later turned into a military citadel by the Umayyad. Nearby is a ruined bathing complex called Qasr Hammam Al Sarah. Marvel at the frescoes that decorate the walls of the UNESCO-protected Quseir Amra and the stone friezes and domed ceilings of Qasr Kharana.
In the oasis town of Azraq, the black basalt Qasr al-Azraq was occupied by the Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans. Glimpse inside the room in which British military officer T.E. Lawrence stayed during the Arab Revolt. Follow a raised boardwalk trail around the gardens, lagoons and marshland of Azraq Wetlands Reserve. It’s a popular destination for spotting hundreds of migratory birds from Africa and Europe in addition to water buffalo.
Be sure to include a visit to the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve, located just a 15-minute drive from Azraq. This 8.5-square-mile (22-square-kilometer) reserve works to protect and reintroduce endangered animal species. See free-roaming ostriches, oryx antelopes and onagers (Asian wild ass) and gazelles in a fenced enclosure. The animals appear frequently in the Byzantine-era mosaics found at the Desert Castles.
Public buses depart for the towns and villages of Zarqa Governorate from its capital, Zarqa. Renting a car is a convenient way to travel between the attractions. Guided day tours of the castles leave from Amman.
