Qasr Azraq, Roman fortress in Azraq, Jordan
Qasr al-Azraq is a square fortress of black basalt with 80-metre walls and an oblong tower at each corner, enclosing a large courtyard with a small mosque in the middle. The main entrance is closed by a massive hinged slab of granite; the vestibule pavement carries a Roman board game carved into the stone.
The fortress was founded by Romans around 300 CE as a military outpost and served successive rulers for centuries. It was rebuilt in the 13th century and later became operationally significant during the 1917 Arab Revolt against Ottoman rule.
The name Azraq means "blue" in Arabic, though the fortress itself is black basalt. Local tradition holds that the Beni Hillal, mythical builders of the fort, send their dogs to patrol the six towers each night; T. E. Lawrence recorded this tale after hearing the wailing around the walls in 1917.
Visitors can explore most of the castle, upstairs and downstairs, though some sections are closed off while the rock is shored up. There is little interpretive material on site, so bring your own background reading. The site lies on the outskirts of Azraq, about 100 km east of Amman, and is often combined with Qasr Kharana and Qasr Amra on a day trip via Highway 40.
The main gate's hinged slab is basalt, not granite, and each leaf weighs about a ton; palm oil on the pivots lets it swing. In the vestibule, a Roman board game is carved into the pavement. Lawrence wrote that the door closed with a clang that made the west wall tremble.
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