Built in the early 8th century, this exceptionally well-preserved desert castle was both a fortress with a garrison and a residence of the Umayyad caliphs. The most outstanding features of this small pleasure palace are the reception hall and the hammam, both richly decorated with figurative murals that reflect the secular art of the time.
Criteria for inclusion as a World Heritage Site
| # | ||
|---|---|---|
| i | To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius. | All |
| iii | To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared. | All |
| iv | To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history. | All |
Nearby
Sites
| Name | Since | Distance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umayyad Palace | 2019 | 63.9km | site_ao | ||
| Umbrella Staircases of Amman | 2019 | 64km | site_ao | ||
| Iraq al-Amir | 2019 | 79km | site_ao | ||
| Roman Theater of Amman | 2019 | 63.7km | site_ao | ||
| Um er-Rasas | 2018 | 71.4km | site_ao | ||
| Ancient City of Bosra | 1980 | 80.2km | site_whs | ||
| Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa’a) | 2004 | 71.3km | site_whs |
About the source: UNESCO
Within UNESCO's broad remit, this specialised agency of the UN works towards international cooperation agreements to secure the world's cultural and natural heritage, designating venues of exceptional value as World Heritage Sites.