Aqaba Castle: A Historic Fortification in Jordan

Visitor Information

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Official Website: aqaba.jo

Country: Jordan

Civilization: Unclassified

Remains: Military

History

Aqaba Castle is located in the city of Aqaba, Jordan, near the Gulf of Aqaba. The castle was built by the Mamluk dynasty and later modified under Ottoman rule, serving various military and religious functions over several centuries.

The earliest known fortifications at the site relate to the ancient Muslim fortified city of Ayla, which had declined by the early 12th century. During the Crusades, a small fort housed a garrison, possibly inherited from the Ayyubid period, but no physical remains from the 12th century have survived. The castle as it stands today owes much of its structure to two main phases of construction: the first under the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Qansuh Al-Ghuri in the early 16th century, and the second during Ottoman Sultan Murad III’s reign, who restored parts of the castle in 1587. Earlier, around 1320, the Mamluk Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad is credited with fortifying the site initially.

Historically, Aqaba Castle was part of a fortified caravanserai, built to protect and accommodate Muslim pilgrims from Egypt traveling on the Hajj route to Mecca and Medina. The castle’s military importance endured, with the fort coming under Egyptian control in 1841, when it was reinforced to safeguard the pilgrimage path.

In July 1917, during World War I, the fortress played a pivotal role in the Arab Revolt. An Arab camel charge successfully captured the castle, marking a turning point in the struggle against Ottoman forces. Following this victory, British officer T.E. Lawrence, known as Lawrence of Arabia, departed from Aqaba Castle to report the success to General Allenby. Subsequently, the port of Aqaba became a critical supply center for the Arab Revolt.

Into the 20th century, the castle remained a military stronghold before transitioning into a museum. Nearby, a building that served as Sharif Hussein’s residence in 1917 was later converted into the Aqaba Archaeological Museum. Archaeological evidence reveals at least seven distinct phases of occupation at the site, including installations dating back to the Umayyad period and multiple caravanserais that preceded and overlapped with the castle’s construction. After 1828, the eastern towers originally built with polygonal shapes were reshaped into round forms, reflecting changes in military architectural styles. Damage during World War I shelling affected the west wall and northwest tower, highlighting the castle’s active role in conflict during that period. A commemorative panel featuring the Hashemite coat of arms now adorns the entrance, honoring the 1917 Arab victory.

Remains

Aqaba Castle presents a roughly quadrilateral layout constructed primarily from stone masonry typical of Mamluk and Ottoman military architecture. The castle’s dominant feature is a large gatehouse with a vaulted interior chamber that leads into the courtyard. This gatehouse contains two prominent inscriptions, one praising the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Qansuh Al-Ghuri and another dedicated to Ottoman Sultan Murad III, marking the two major construction periods in the castle’s history.

Each corner of the castle originally held stone towers. The eastern towers began as polygonal structures but were modified to rounded forms sometime after 1828, reflecting evolving defensive strategies. Though these towers have suffered damage and alteration, their foundations still stand, providing insight into the castle’s evolving design.

Passing through the grand entrance, visitors enter a central courtyard flanked on both the right and left sides by two large diwan halls. These rooms likely served administrative or reception purposes and feature inscriptions linking their construction and restoration to Sultan Qansuh Al-Ghuri and Sultan Murad III respectively. These inscriptions offer valuable documentation on the castle’s history and its royal patrons.

Archaeological research at the site has uncovered irrigation installations dating back to the Umayyad period, demonstrating early water management efforts crucial for sustaining settlement in this arid region. Moreover, successive caravanserais, or khans, dating from the 13th to 15th centuries have been identified beneath or aligned with the castle’s footprint. These earlier structures underline the location’s longstanding role as a hub on pilgrimage and trade routes before the present fortification’s construction.

Despite damage inflicted during World War I, notably shelling that destroyed parts of the west wall and northwest tower, the main fortress and gatehouse remain largely intact. Above the entrance’s machicolation—a defensive overhanging section used in fortifications—a commemorative panel bears the Hashemite coat of arms, serving as a lasting tribute to the castle’sArab Revolt legacy.

Adjacent to the castle grounds stands the Aqaba Flagpole, erected in 2004. This flagpole flies the flag of the Arab Revolt and was once the tallest in the world, linking the site’s contemporary surroundings to its historical significance. Together, the castle and its features provide a tangible record of continuous occupation, military significance, and religious importance spanning from the medieval period through the modern era.