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The marvels of nature and
the genius of medieval Arab military architecture
have  given north
Jordan two of the most important ecological and
historical attractions in the Middle East the
sprawling pine forests of the Ajloun-Dibbine area,
and the towering Arab-Islamic castle at Ajloun
that helped to defeat the Crusaders eight
centuries ago. Both these natural and man-made
marvels, along with other attractions in the
north, are being carefully protected to form the
core of a pioneering Eco-tourism project now being
implemented with French technical assistance,
which aims to preserve the large pine forest that
stretches from Ajloun towards the north; this is a
unique environmental resource, for it is the
southernmost complete pine forest in the
world.
The area's cool
forests, beautiful picnic areas, and extensive
walking trails already attract visitors throughout
the April-October season, especially from the Gulf
and other warmer regions of the Middle
East.
The project that has been
recently launched will designate three concentric
zones:
a) an inner, fully
protected nature reserve where the pine forest can
flourish in perpetuity;
b) an
environment-friendly Eco-tourism zone where
private sector investments will be encouraged in
services such as chalets;
c) a surrounding national park
acting as a buffer zone, where visitors can enjoy
picnics, trail walks, and other low-impact
activities.
The combination of
the invigorating forests, clean air, cool summer
temperatures, easy access from all north Jordan,
and a series of major antiquities sites promises
to make this a leading new tourism destination,
for both international and domestic tourists. The
gateway to the national park will be from the
Jerash region, just 20 minutes by car to the east.
The Greco-Roman city of Jerash, among the best
preserved cities of its kind in the world, is one
of Jordan's leading tourist attraction.
Ajloun
Castle, more formally known as Qalaat er-Rabad, is
the major ancient site within the Ajloun forests
region. It towers above the green hills and can be
seen from many miles away, betraying its strategic
purpose as a military watch post that protected
the trade routes in the 12th
–15th
Centuries. It
was first built in 1184 by the nephew of
Salaheddin (Saladin), Izzeddin Usama Munqith, to
repel the Crusader threats to north Jordan (the
Crusaders had already occupied south Jordan, from
their massive castles at Shobak and Karak, and
were driven out of TransJordan in 1189).
T
he
Ajloun castle was expanded in 1214 into its
current configuration. The castle is one of the
best preserved and most complete examples of
medieval Arab-Islamic
military architecture. Among its main features are
a surrounding dry moat, a drawbridge into the main
entrance, the fortified entrance gate (with
decorative pigeon stone carvings), a massive south
tower, and several other towers on all sides.
Inside, the castle is a labyrinth of vaulted
passages, winding staircases, long ramps, enormous
rooms that served as dining halls, dormitories,
and stables, a total of 11 water cisterns, and the
private quarters of the Lord of the Castle
(complete with a small stone bathtub and
rectangular windows that convert into arrow-slits
for defensive purposes).
From the top of the castle,
visitors enjoy panoramic views into the Jordan
Valley and throughout the highlands of north
Jordan. Excavations have recently identified a
church that was built on the castle site in the
earlier Byzantine period, while restoration and
conservation works have made all areas of the
castle accessible and safe for visitors. New
restaurants and hotels in the immediate vicinity
of the castle make it easier for visitors to spend
an entire day, or a weekend, in this enchanting
region. Other nearby sites that can be visited
include the birthplace of the Prophet Elijah at
nearby Listib, the Church of St Elijah at Khirbet
Mar Elias, and scores of smaller ancient sites,
including water mills, forts, and villages, in the
hills and valleys of north Jordan.
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