Burj el Maleh, Archaeological site in Jordan Valley, State of Palestine.

Burj el Maleh is a Mamluk fortress built of ashlar stones in the shape of a ship or an oval, with rounded corners, measuring 95 metres long and 50 metres wide over 4,750 square metres. It stands about 200 metres above sea level and 100 metres above its surroundings, on a topographic shoulder at the end of a mountain spur above Road 5799. A gate with two dressed stone jambs and locking sockets, a gatehouse, a fallen lintel and remains of rectangular rooms with vaulted ceilings survive, and a deep ditch, probably a moat, cuts the northern corner.

The fortress dates to the Mamluk era, when military structures were built to control and protect trade routes passing through the Jordan Valley. It functioned as part of a broader defensive network that served the empire's strategic interests in this region.

The name refers to its defensive purpose, and visitors can observe how the stone walls were built to create fortified spaces for protection. The layout of the remaining structures shows how the site was organized for those who inhabited or garrisoned it.

The site is accessible via walking paths, though visitors should be prepared for uneven ground and exposed ruins. Archaeological work or detailed study may require advance permission from local authorities.

The builders relied entirely on stone sourced from the immediate surroundings, demonstrating how construction methods adapted to the local landscape. This practice of using nearby materials was common for fortifications in remote areas.