Food & restaurantsFeatured partner
Jar Al Jabal
Jordanian cooking with Ajloun Castle across the valley
Details
History & archaeologyCable car & viewsFamily activitiesIndependent listing
Ajloun Castle
قلعة عجلون
A 12th-century Ayyubid fortress on the highest hill in town
Qal’at ar-Rabad was built in 1184 by one of Saladin’s generals to watch the roads between Damascus and the Jordan Valley. Its towers, vaulted halls and rooftop still command the whole highland.
The castle was first built in 1184 by Izz al-Din Usama, a general of Saladin, and enlarged in 1214. For three centuries it guarded the trade routes of the north and relayed signals between Damascus and Cairo.
You enter over a dry moat and climb through layered gates into halls of pale limestone. Small rooms hold a museum of finds from the region. Keep going up: the roof gives a full circle of view, from the forested ridges to the Jordan Valley on a clear day.
Why visit
One of Jordan’s best-preserved medieval castles
A 360-degree rooftop view
A short visit that fits any itinerary
Practical information
- Opening hours
Usually 8:00 to 18:00 in summer, from May to the end of August, and 8:00 to 16:00 the rest of the year. Open every day.
We found no official page that publishes the hours. They can shorten in Ramadan and on public holidays, so arrive at least an hour before closing.
Confirmed locallyJar Al JabalVarious secondary publishers- Tickets
JD 3 for non-Jordanian visitors and JD 0.25 for Jordanians, paid at the gate. Entry is included in the Jordan Pass.
We could not find an official online ticket page for the castle on its own. The Jordan Pass is a paid multi-site pass sold by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
- Time needed
About 1 to 1.5 hours.
Our estimate- Accessibility
Expect a sloped approach, many stairs and uneven stone floors inside. We have no confirmed information on step-free access.
Not verified- With children
Children enjoy the towers and passages. Hold hands on the roof and stairs, where edges are open.
Our estimate
Sources and verification
Last verified:
- Ajloun, where to go · Jordan Tourism Board (visitjordan.com) · Official
- Confirmed by the Jar Al Jabal team · Jar Al Jabal · Local team
- OpenStreetMap · OpenStreetMap contributors · Map
- Wikipedia articles and coordinates · Wikipedia contributors · Secondary
- Travel guides and tour listings · Various secondary publishers · Secondary
Nearby and related
Cable car & viewsOfficial operator
Ajloun Cable Car
A 2.5 km glide over the forest from beside the castle
Details
Itineraries that include this place
Half a day · 3 stops
Castle, cable car and lunch
The classic Ajloun morning. Everything is within a few minutes of each other on the castle hill, so you spend your time looking, not driving.
Ajloun Castle → Ajloun Cable Car → Jar Al Jabal
See the itinerary
A full day · 5 stops
Ajloun in a day
History in the morning, a long lunch, then mosaics and forest in the afternoon. A full day that never feels rushed.
Ajloun Castle → Ajloun Cable Car → Jar Al Jabal → Tell Mar Elias → Ajloun Forest Reserve
See the itinerary
A full day · 4 stops
Ajloun with children
Short stops, room to run and a ride through the air. Planned around small legs and regular snacks.
Ajloun Castle → Ajloun Cable Car → Jar Al Jabal → Ajloun Forest Reserve
See the itinerary