The eventual passage of power to Reynald of Chatillon (and his callous inability to adhere to various peace treaties in place) hastened the end of the Crusaders’ reign at Kerak Castle, with the fortress eventually falling under Muslim rule following a drawn out siege by Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria in 1188.
Over the interceding years, various fortifications have been added and removed, destroyed and restored, with the dark, rough volcanic rock of the Crusader architecture existing mostly on the upper level, whilst later Arab additions are easily identifiable by the chalky white limestone elsewhere.
Kerak Castle is a fascinating place to visit, with much of it still in a raw state of archaeological works and yet-to-be-done restorations. Exploring the seemingly relatively intact ruins, one can get a real sense of how strategically important the castle once was, the power it once wielded, and better stitch together the composition of the Holy Land.
It really is a must-visit on any road trip along the King’s Highway.
In this guide we’ll cover some tips on how to make the most out of your visit, information on how to get there (and some essential details you really need to know about a parking scam), plus our recommendations on where to stay if you fancy spending the night in its characterful, lesser-visited old town
This is our guide to Karak Castle.
P.S. the names ‘Karak’ and ‘Kerak’ are both used for both the name of the castle and the town, so we have used them interchangeably in this article.
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