“Kerak Castle was the lair of Raynald of Chatillon, the Crusader lord whose caravan raids so enraged Saladin that the sultan besieged this clifftop fortress to break him.”
About Kerak Castle
Construction began around 1142 under the Crusader lord Pagan the Butler, and Kerak became a key stronghold on the King's Highway. Under Raynald of Chatillon its raids on Muslim caravans triggered conflict with Saladin, who besieged it in the 1180s. The Ayyubids took it after the Crusader collapse, and the Mamluks later strengthened it; much of the layered fortress survives.
Overview Kerak Castle is a sprawling Crusader fortress on a steep hill along the ancient King's Highway, begun in the 1140s as one of the strongest links in the chain of castles defending the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. Its dark stone galleries, vaulted halls and tunnels burrow through the hilltop, and its walls drop to sheer slopes on almost every side.
Its dark stone galleries, vaulted halls and tunnels burrow through the hilltop, and its walls drop to sheer slopes on almost every side.
A Notorious Lord The castle is bound to Raynald of Chatillon, a Crusader lord infamous for raiding caravans and provoking Saladin, who besieged Kerak more than once. After the Crusaders fell, the Ayyubids and Mamluks held and rebuilt it. The town of Karak surrounds it today.
The Experience
You enter a fortress that goes down as much as up, with long vaulted halls, storerooms and dim passages tunnelled into the hill, so a torch helps. Arrow slits and the upper walls open onto dizzying drops and views along the King's Highway. The scale and the gloom give Kerak a heavier, more martial feel than the prettier ruins elsewhere.
Why It Matters
Kerak is one of the largest and most important Crusader castles in the Levant, central to the wars between the Crusader states and Saladin, and a key stop on the historic King's Highway through Jordan.
Why Visit
It is the most atmospheric Crusader fortress in Jordan, full of tunnels and halls to explore, and a logical break on the King's Highway between Madaba and Petra. Bring a torch for the dark passages and allow time to go underground, not just along the walls.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Bring a torch or phone light for the dark vaulted halls and tunnels inside the hill.
- 2
It sits on the scenic King's Highway, a good stop between Madaba and Petra.
- 3
Explore the lower levels, not just the ramparts; much of the castle is underground.
- 4
Wear sturdy shoes for the uneven, dim passages and steep drops.
