Shobak Castle

Shobak Castle is located mid-way between Karak Castle and Petra and 190km south of Amman.

IShobak a large Crusader Castle, built around 1,115 AD which stands as a lonely reminder of former glory.

The castle commands an imposing position, crowning a cone of rock, which rises above a wild and rugged landscape dotted with a grand sweep of fruit trees.

The castle was built by King Baldwin the 1st to guard the road from Damascus to Egypt and was repeatedly besieged by Saladin before eventually being captured in 1189.

Inscriptions by Saladin's proud successors appear on the castle wall.

In 1260 it passed to the Mamluks who restored it in the following century, adorning its walls with Arabic inscriptions which testify to their work.

Since then it has lain largely untouched, gradually falling into disrepair.

The castle's exterior is still impressive, with a forbidding gate and encircling walls three layers thick.

The walls and projecting towers are still reasonably intact, but the interior of the castle now largely consists of tumbled stones with a few walls and arches.

One of the most fascinating remains is the ancient well-shaft cut deep into the rock, with 375 steps leading down to the water supply at the bottom.