Ajloun castle is a muslim fortress from the 12th century located in Ajloun, northwestern Jordan.
The castle is perched at the top of Jabal Awf that overlooks the valleys of Kufranja, Rajeb and Yabis. Built by the Ayyubids who ruled over Egypt, Syria and a great part of Mesopotamia, it was partly destroyed by Mongol hordes and two earthquakes before being renovated by the Mamluks.
The building served as a military outpost, from where the Saracens controlled the caravan routes between Damascus and Amman. The strategic position of the castle which is standing 1250 meters above sea level enabled Salah al-Din’s army to look out for invaders when he fought against the Christian military during the crusades. The castle was also used to exploit the iron mines in the Ajloun Mountains, which were necessary for the building of weapons.
The architecture of the castle is outstanding: Four watchtowers are sitting on each corner of the rectangular castle. There are small windows opening in the walls. The stone wall castle is as impressive as the view and panorama it offers. The surroundings of the castle is a spectacular sight of the mountain ranges that surround Mount Bani Auf, the beautiful Jordan Valley and the three wadis (valleys) that lead to it, Rajeb, Al-Yabes and Kufranjah.
