Strollie

Jordan

Qasr Amra

Jordan

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

Admission
Ticketed

From OpenStreetMap — confirm before travelling

Find out more

Located in the desert of eastern Jordan, Qasr Amra is the finest surviving example of the desert castles built during the early Islamic period. Constructed between 723 and 743 by Walid ibn Yazid, the future Umayyad caliph Walid II, it originally formed part of a larger royal retreat complex, though today only a small country cabin and bathhouse remain. The site is celebrated chiefly for its remarkable interior frescoes, which cover ceilings depicting hunting and dancing scenes, craftsmen at work, a cycle of Jonah, and—most remarkably—the first known representation of heaven on a hemispherical vault, where constellations and zodiac figures are rendered in mirror image. The bathhouse itself ranks among the oldest surviving hammams in the Islamic world. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its exceptional artistic and architectural significance, Qasr Amra has undergone conservation efforts since 2010 and remains a major tourist destination near Amman.

Movement

Islamic architecture
Built
Type
château
Heritage
World Heritage Site
Place
Jordan

This building on

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Location

31.80175, 36.58731