Ajloun

Rising above the oak-clad hills of northwestern Jordan, Qal'at ar-Rabad — Ajloun Castle — is one of the finest examples of Ayyubid military architecture in the Levant. Built in 1184 by Izz al-Din Usama, a general serving Saladin, the fortress was designed to counter Crusader advances and protect the iron mines of the Ajloun district. Its four corner towers, curtain walls and surrounding moat averaging 16 metres wide and up to 15 metres deep made it a formidable stronghold commanding three strategic wadis that descended to the Jordan Valley.

After Usama's death, the Mamluk governor Aibak ibn Abdullah enlarged the castle in 1214–1215, adding a southeastern tower and new gatehouse. Within the restored chambers, a museum displays Ayyubid arms, maps and architectural fragments. Beyond the walls, the Ajloun Forest Reserve — established by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature in 1987 — protects 13 square kilometres of rare evergreen oak and pine, providing habitat for roe deer, Persian squirrels and over 600 plant species. The June 2023 cable car now offers a scenic aerial approach across the canopy.

Ajloun is approximately 72 kilometres northwest of Amman, around 90 minutes by car. It combines naturally with Jerash (30 kilometres south) for a rewarding half-day pairing. Spring is ideal: the forests are green, temperatures mild and the Jordan Valley panoramas at their clearest.