Ḩayy al ‘Alāwīyah, Jordan Travel Journals & Blogs

JordanianLove
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- May 24, 2024, 2:00 PM
- ☀️ 26 °C
- Altitude: 1,004 m
- Jordan Karak Ḩayy al ‘Alāwīyah Qal‘at al Karak 31.18028, 35.70139431°10’49” N 35°42’5” E
Day 4
Kingsway part II: Kerak castle
May 24 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Kerak Castle is het grootste en meest indrukwekkende kruisvaarderskasteel van Jordanië dat langs de King’s Highway route ligt.
De oude vestingstad Kerak is al zeker 2.000 jaar een oude nederzetting bovenop een heuvel. Pas vanaf de 12de eeuw is het Kerak kasteel gebouwd zoals het nu bekend is geworden. Het kasteel is voltooid in 1161, werd voor zijn tijd als enorm beschouwd. Zelfs groter dan de kastelen die in deze periode gebouwd werden in Europa.
Het uitgestrekte Kerak kasteel is verdeeld over zo’n 7 niveau’s. Kelders, keukens, gevangenissen, militaire opslagplaatsen, marktplaats, een museum en paleis, kerk, moskee, torens en meer.
We dachten snel snel even langs te gaan maar verschoten toch van de enorme grootte en raakten zelf even verdwaald 😅

Op weg van onze parkingspot passeerden we nog een gezellig verkiezingsmarktje met authentieke kraampjes.

We gingen door naar Dana en werden opnieuw 2u verwend met zalige uitzichten en panorama's.

Overnachten deden wij in Dana luxury huts om ons helemaal te preppen voor onze tweedaagse hike in hikersparadijs Dana en Feynan!Read more
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Jordanien Family
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- Apr 7, 2023, 12:39 PM
- ☀️ 25 °C
- Altitude: 1,002 m
- Jordan Karak Ḩayy al ‘Alāwīyah Qal‘at al Karak 31.180601, 35.70126731°10’50” N 35°42’5” E
Day 5
Ab durch die Mitte
April 7, 2023 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Und los geht die wilde Fahrt durch Jordanien. Wir durchqueren Berge, Schluchten, grüne Täler, Steinwüsten, Steppen, Städtchen und 3857 Bodenwellen vom Niveau 400m unterm Meeresspiegel bis 1600m über dem Meeresspiegel. Und das ganze in vier Stunden. Wir machen auf der Kreuzritterburg in Kerak halt und noch ein paarmal zum Essen, Kaffee mit Kardamom trinken, Fotos machen und einfach nur staunen.Read more
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Traveler Middle East 2022
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- Oct 14, 2022, 11:00 AM
- ☀️ 18 °C
- Altitude: 1,009 m
- Jordan Karak Ḩayy al ‘Alāwīyah Markaz Şiḩḩī - Al Karak 31.18227, 35.7019831°10’56” N 35°42’7” E
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Day 12
Kerak Castle
October 14, 2022 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
From the rather sad and sadly named Potash City, I turned inland for another spectaclular and steep climb (I reckon an average 10% grade) up to the plateau..

The hill at Kerak, having such a command over the countryside has been fortified and used by successive peoples going back to prehistory, but it was the Crusaders who built the massive Kerak Castle as one in a string of castles running from south to north to provide an outer line of defense and control the access and trade routes.. It was started in 1144 and took 20 years to build which is quick given the size, isolated location and the fact the Crusaders were outsiders with no access to a large labour force. In the end, the Crusaders only held the site for a little over 40 years, falling to a months-long siege by the Muslims in 1188. After, it continued as an important fort for the Ayyubids, Mamluks and Ottomans.

It is a massive structure with 6m thick walls and multiple levels under the castle with tunnels and passages connecting dozens of rooms you can wander around..Read more
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Greece, Egypt and Jordan
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- Jan 21, 2023, 11:30 AM
- ☀️ 13 °C
- Altitude: 3,317 ft
- Jordan Karak Ḩayy al ‘Alāwīyah Markaz Şiḩḩī - Al Karak 31.181725, 35.70166431°10’54” N 35°42’6” E
Day 32
Kerak Castle
January 21, 2023 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
We arrived at Kerak Castle at around 11.30am and had a guided walk through the site with Sofyan.

Kerak Castle is one of the largest medieval castles in the Middle East. It was built in 1142 and remained in constant use until 1917.

In the early years, because of its position east of the Dead Sea, Kerak Castle was able to control bedouin herders as well as the trade routes from Damascus to Egypt and Mecca.

In 1188, the castle came under the control of the Muslim army who made it their administrative headquarters. A century later, the Mamluk sultan, Baybars, took over. Due to the castle's importance, he maintained a significant military force there which included at least 700 horsemen.

Kerak Castle remained an important strategic location during the centuries of the Ottoman Empire.

In 1834, the leaders of the peasants' revolt in Palestine took refuge in Kerak. Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt besieged the castle and destroyed much of its fortifications in the process.

In 1893, the Ottoman authorities reestablished control over the area by appointing a governor resident in Kerak Castle with a garrison of 1400, including 200 cavalry. He remained in charge until the Ottoman Empire fell.

Since then, the castle has been the site of extensive archaeological and historical research.

On December 18, 2016, the castle was the site of a terrorist attack. Fourteen people were killed and 34 were injured, the majority being Jordanian security forces and local civilians. A Canadian tourist was also killed.

After our tour of the castle, we had lunch in the on-site restaurant. It was a set menu of salads followed by barbecue. It was lovely but there was far too much food!!Read more
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Traveler Jordanien und Israel
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- Oct 23, 2018, 2:00 PM
- ⛅ 27 °C
- Altitude: 989 m
- Jordan Karak Ḩayy al ‘Alāwīyah Markaz Şiḩḩī - Al Karak 31.18199, 35.7013231°10’55” N 35°42’5” E
Day 2
Kerak, Jordanien
October 23, 2018 in Jordan ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Aufgrund seiner strategisch günstigen Lage inmitten fruchtbarer Hügel siedelten hier bereits im 9. Jahrhundert vor Christus die Moabiter, gefolgt von Assyrern, Nabatäern, Römern, Byzantinern und Arabern. In der Bibel wird Kerak unter der Bezeichnung Kir bzw. Kir-Moab erwähnt. Die eindrucksvollste Demonstration der einstigen Mächte in Kerak, die heute noch zu sehen ist, ist die Kreuzritterburg von Kerak. Im 12. Jahrhundert waren die trutzigen Mauern eine Basis der Kreuzfahrer im damaligen Königreich Jerusalem.Read more
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Traveler Jordanie
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- Aug 1, 2022
- ☀️ 29 °C
- Altitude: 1,007 m
- Jordan Karak Ḩayy al ‘Alāwīyah Qal‘at al Karak 31.180843, 35.70166431°10’51” N 35°42’6” E
Day 17
Kerak
August 1, 2022 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Visite de la forteresse de Kerak dans lequel s'est déroulé les batailles entre les croisés (francs) et les armées musulmanes de Saladin. Malheureusement le manque de panneaux ne nous permet guère de ressentir l'histoire et le vécu de l'endroit ce qui est fort décevant. 😔
Kerak est une ville où l'on ne s'est pas senti à l'aise ; les personnes des villages aux alentours de la Mer Morte viennent se mettre au frais ici pendant l'été et ont une mentalité bien à eux (picole, irrespect, zone, etc) 🤬
Heureusement la rencontre avec notre hôte, Karam, philosophe à ses heures perdues, rendra notre séjour à Kerak un peu moins amer.Read more
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skip's retirement travel Jordan and Lebanon
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- Nov 23, 2021, 2:47 PM
- ☀️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 976 m
- Jordan Karak Ḩayy al ‘Alāwīyah Markaz Şiḩḩī - Al Karak 31.18167, 35.7016731°10’54” N 35°42’6” E
Day 3
Karak
November 23, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
This is a crusader fort built to protect the eastern borders of the kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century. This is my 1st crusader castle, and it certainly is large and impressive. In fact, it's one of the largest. The crusaders were only here about 50 years before they were ousted by Saladin.
The 1st picture is the outside walls along one of the more vulnerable sides. The 2nd picture is on the ramp up into the castle proper. It goes between the walls up from the gate. The 3rd picture is a tunnel that has rooms off the sides that look like they might have been quarters. The 4th picture is the long, dark hallway of one of the dungeons.
The 5th picture is a kitchen, and the last is an addition built by the Ottomans.Read more
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Traveler Jordanien
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- Sep 18, 2018, 12:17 PM
- ☀️ 25 °C
- Altitude: 1,015 m
- Jordan Karak Ḩayy al ‘Alāwīyah Markaz Şiḩḩī - Al Karak 31.18158, 35.70189731°10’54” N 35°42’7” E
Day 9
Kerak Castle
September 18, 2018 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Nachdem wir in den letzten Tagen ein sehr lauflastiges Programm hatten, gibt es heute mehr Kultur. Zunächst besuchen wir die Stadt Kerak und seine Burg. Der Verkehr ist gewöhnungsbedürftig. Als wir noch eine Runde durch das Viertel ziehen werden wir oft angeguckt und angesprochen, die meisten Touristen scheinen es also leider dies versäumen.
Die Kreuzfahrerburg gestaltet sich beim gebaueren Hinsehen sehr interessant, weil es Gebäudeteile gibt, die von christlichen Bauherren stammen, andere hingegen von muslimischen.Read more
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Traveler Jordanien 2022
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- Oct 18, 2022, 12:43 PM
- ☀️ 21 °C
- Altitude: 1,013 m
- Jordan Karak Ḩayy al ‘Alāwīyah Markaz Şiḩḩī - Al Karak 31.181924, 35.70186831°10’55” N 35°42’7” E
Day 5
Kerak
October 18, 2022 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Kreuzritterfestung
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Traveler Jordanien und Israel
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- Oct 23, 2018, 3:00 PM
- ⛅ 27 °C
- Altitude: 1,007 m
- Jordan Karak Ḩayy al ‘Alāwīyah Qal‘at al Karak 31.18097, 35.7016631°10’51” N 35°42’6” E
Day 2
Kerak, Jordanien
October 23, 2018 in Jordan ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Die Gebietshauptstadt Kerak im mittleren Westen von Jordanien liegt an der heutigen Königsstraße und war in ihrer Jahrtausende alten Geschichte bereits Sitz vieler Herrscher.
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