Just 25 kms west of the city of Jerash, through hilly villages, orchards and forests, the medieval Islamic fortress of Ajlun commands the heights above the Jordan Valley.
Unlike the Crusader castle at Kerak and Shobak in the south, "Qalaat ar-Rabbad" served as a base for Saladin's army to drive the Crusaders out of Jordan in 1189. As you cross the moat, climb the stairs, walk the keep, and wander into dark mazes of sleeping chambers and stables, it is easy to imagine soldiers standing watch in the towers above. Today however, you are more likely to come upon a group of Jordanian youths singing and dancing to the beat of a drum!
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