Karak Castle Visitor’s Guide

Karak Castle is quite possibly the most famous crusader castle. It was a place of legend in the battles between the Crusader armies and the Islamic armies of Saladin. Today it is known for being featured in the movie The Kingdom of Heaven and is a popular stop while driving the King’s Highway through Jordan. For a complete road trip guide on driving the King’s Highway in Jordan check our guide here.

Brief History

Karak Castle was built in 1142 by King Baldwin I of Jerusalem. It is a spur castle built on top of a plateau on the edge of the city of Karak. It is surrounded on three sides by steep hills offering natural protection from invaders and attacks from siege engines. Its strategic location led it to quickly become the capital of the Crusader district. It withstood multiple epic and historical sieges by Saladin’s Muslim army, but eventually fell and became a Mamluk stronghold. It was fortified multiple times and has withstood earthquakes and years of attacks over the centuries.

Today it is known as an excellent example of a Crusader castle built with a blend of European, Byzantine and Arab design and architecture.

How To Get There and Tickets

Karak Castle sits atop a hill on the west side of the city of Karak. It is located 126 km south of Amman off of the King’s Highway. The access road to the castle is a giant switchback that takes you up to the top where the castle sits with glorious views across the valley. Parking is free outside of the castle and there are many shops and stalls outside the site if you need a break for tea.

An entrance ticket to Karak Castle is 2 JD or is included with your Jordan Pass . If you are staying in Jordan for more than three consecutive days we highly recommend you get a Jordan Pass to save on entry into a multitude of sites as well as your entry visa into the country. It is a money saver! You will enter the castle via the Ottoman Gate once you have shown your ticket at the ticket office.

What To See

Karak Castle may not be the best preserved castle in Jordan, but it is the most well known. It has many interesting ruins that show what the fortress was like in its glory days as a Crusader stronghold and Mamluk fortress. There are various signboards giving a brief description of the history and function of various structures, however they do not give a full picture of the history of the castle. If you really want to know what you are seeing, I advise you to hire a guide at the ticket office for 10 JD.

For us, it was more about wandering the underground passageways and exploring the ramparts at our own pace. The kids loved running down the dark deserted corridors and finding rooms streamed with filtered light from narrow slit windows for archers to use. The castle really came alive for them and their imaginations ran wild!

The main sites include:

• Army barracks with small windows for light
• The Kitchen with large round stones used for grinding olives and huge storage for wheat and oil.
• Stables for the horses
• A Crusader Church
• Prison Cells in the underground passageways
• An underground Market Place
• The Keep or stronghold at the back of the castle

Want more information about visiting Jordan? Check out our other guides.

• The King’s Highway Road Trip Guide
• Umm ar-Rasas: A Visitor’s Guide
• Hiking Wadi Rum: A 2 Day Bedouin Tour
• The Essential Guide to Petra
• 2 Day Hiking Guide to Petra

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