Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Azraq
05 / POP 8000 / ELEV 510M
Meaning 'blue' in Arabic, Azraq once lived up to its name with a shimmering lake and
extensive wetlands famed throughout the entire region. This magical oasis was both a
refuge for wildlife in the middle of the arid Eastern Desert and a beacon for pilgrims and
caravans plying the trade routes between Baghdad to Jerusalem. And then catastrophe
struck: the wetlands were all but drained to supply the ever-increasing demands of the
capital for water and the fortunes of the town and surrounding farming settlements
withered into the bargain.
That's not to say there is now no reason to visit. The town has reinvented itself as a pit
stop for trucks pounding the Eastern Desert Highway between Amman and Baghdad, and
for overland convoys from Saudi Arabia, and as such it has a frontier town atmosphere.
The drivers who veer into this crossroads are all long haul survivors who, in many cases,
contend with the hazards not just of interminably tedious roads but also of ambush and the
threat of violence. Have a cup of tea with any of these warriors of the long-distance road
in the restaurants or mechanic workshops that line the roads of Azraq and suddenly your
journey from Amman won't seem so far.
The modern reality of Azraq apart, the town neighbours one of the best of the desert
castles,
Qasr al-Azraq
, and has the region's only accommodation. In the vicinity are also
Azraq Wetland Reserve
and
Shaumari Wildlife Reserve
, making the most of what little
remains of Azraq's once glorious natural inheritance.
History
As the region's most important permanent body of water and as a source for malachite,
Azraq has been settled since Neolithic times. The Romans, Mamluks and Ottomans each
had turns in controlling the area and in 1917-18 the town served as a staging post for the
soldiers of Faisal's Arab Revolt. Lawrence of Arabia overwintered in the fort, using it as a
temporary headquarter.
The town is home to two distinct communities. After WWI Druze refugees fleeing
Syria settled in North Azraq, earning a living from salt production. South Azraq, mean-
while, was founded by Chechens fleeing Russian persecution, who eked out a living by
farming and fishing on the shores of the oasis. Azraq Lodge is run by people from this
community and the restaurant produces robust Chechen meals.
The recent settlement of Palestinian and Syrian immigrants has diluted ethnic distinc-
tions and the virtual death of the oasis in the 1990s caused much of the local population to
