One of the best-preserved Ayyubid castles in the Arab world, Qalat er-Rabad sits on a high hill overlooking the Jordan Valley. Built in the 12th century and expanded in the 13th, it is a compact but formidable structure of towers, arched corridors, and a deep dry moat. The views from the battlements — down into the valley and across towards the West Bank — are outstanding. A small museum inside displays finds from the site.
Ajlun Castle
Well-preserved Ayyubid fortress overlooking the Jordan Valley
A story
The castle was built around 1184 by Izz al-Din Usama, a nephew of Saladin, specifically to counter the Crusader fortress at Belvoir across the Jordan Valley. It worked: the Crusaders never took it, and Saladin used it as a strategic base during his campaigns.