The Desert Castles of Eastern Jordan

The Umayyad desert castles: Quseir Amra, Qasr al-Harrana and Qasr al-Azraq.

Scattered across the eastern steppe, Jordan's Umayyad desert castles served as hunting lodges and waystations. Quseir Amra, a UNESCO site, preserves celebrated bath-house frescoes; Qasr al-Harranah is a remarkably intact fortified palace; Qasr al-Azraq is built from dark basalt.

The drive east of Amman is quick and the sites are easy and photogenic. Travellers who hire car & driver in Jordan make one relaxed desert-castle day, and full package tours to Jordan often include Quseir Amra on a culture-focused itinerary.

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