“Shobak was the very first castle the Crusaders built east of the Jordan, and when Saladin's army came, it held out under siege for years before finally falling in 1189.”
About Montreal Castle (Shobak)
Baldwin I of Jerusalem built Shobak, then called Montreal, in 1115 to dominate the routes between Egypt, Syria and Arabia. It withstood a prolonged siege by Saladin's forces after the Crusader catastrophe at Hattin in 1187, surrendering only in 1189. Later Ayyubid and Mamluk works added inscriptions and rebuilt sections, leaving a layered fortress on its solitary hill.
Overview Shobak Castle, known to the Crusaders as Montreal or Mons Regalis, was the first castle the Crusaders built east of the Jordan, raised in 1115 by King Baldwin I on a lone conical hill to control the trade and pilgrimage routes south toward Arabia. It stands isolated above terraced slopes between Amman and Petra, far less visited than Kerak.
It stands isolated above terraced slopes between Amman and Petra, far less visited than Kerak.
A Long Siege Saladin's forces besieged Shobak for years before it finally fell in 1189, two years after the Crusader defeat at Hattin. Ayyubid and Mamluk builders later reworked it, and a steep tunnel of around 375 steps cut down to a water source inside the hill still survives.
The Experience
Approached across empty, terraced hills, Shobak rises alone and weathered, less restored and more lonely than Kerak. Inside are halls, chapels, carved inscriptions and the remarkable stepped tunnel plunging down through the hill toward water, a claustrophobic descent that only the prepared attempt. The isolation is the atmosphere.
Why It Matters
Shobak is the earliest Crusader castle in Transjordan and a key piece of the network that briefly controlled the southern routes, notable for its long siege by Saladin and its deep internal water tunnel.
Why Visit
It offers a wild, little-visited Crusader fortress with a dramatic setting and a genuine sense of discovery on the road between Petra and the King's Highway. Stop here en route to Petra, bring a light for the water tunnel, and enjoy having the ruins largely to yourself.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Bring a torch if you want to attempt the steep internal tunnel down to the water source.
- 2
It is an easy stop on the road between the King's Highway sites and Petra.
- 3
The castle is little visited, so you will often have the ruins nearly to yourself.
- 4
The hilltop is exposed; bring sun protection in summer and a windproof layer in winter.
