Karak, Jordan has always been a popular city throughout history. It has been known under various names like Hereseth, Qir Heres, and Qir Moab and with all these faces, the city is definitely a very proud seat of many rich civilizations.
Karak is the capital and the biggest city of the Karak Governorate. It is located 1000 meters above the Dead Sea Valley. Due to its location, it is counted as a very important asset of Jordan. When the Crusaders arrived, this city reached the height of luxury. It is one of the main tourist attractions in the country.
This historical city lies south of the capital Amman. In order to get to it, you may either take the Desert Highway or the King’s Highway. If you want to get a spectacular view of Jordan, then there is no doubt that you must take the latter route.
The city is well-known for its Castle. This structure was built in the 1140s. The design of its edifice was strongly influenced both by Arab and European styles. A moat on the west end was intended to isolate the fortress. What makes the castle much grander is that it extends over the plateau’s southern part. This design makes the castle a prominent example of Crusader architecture– a combination of European, Arab and even Byzantine designs. In the castle’s lower court is the Karak Archeological Museum. It was opened in 2004 after the renovation. The museum reflects the history and archeology of the land of Moab (the Karak region) from pre-history until the Islamic era.