Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Despite the hardships, TE Lawrence writes fondly about the time spent here with his
men at arms. In the evenings they would assemble before a great fire in the open court-
yard and break bread while swapping stories of war, peace and love.
The fort, built on Roman foundations, was almost destroyed in 1927 following a violent
earthquake. Today busy Hwy 5 unceremoniously grinds past the front door but there is
still magic in the air, particularly in the late afternoon when the castle interior is lit up by
the setting sun and one can picture Lawrence, eccentric in his Arab robes, descending the
stairs for supper around the fire.
History
Comparatively little is known about the history of Qsar al-Azraq, and there's been little
excavation and renovation. Greek and Latin inscriptions date earlier constructions on the
site to around AD 300, coinciding with Roman occupation.
The fort was renovated by the Umayyad caliph Walid II, who used it for hunting and as
a military base. Its present form dates to 1237 when it was fortified by the Ayyubids as a
defence against the Crusaders. The Turks subsequently stationed a garrison here in the
16th century. In a turn of the tide in 1918, it was from this building that the Arab Revolt
launched an attack on Damascus that proved successful in ousting the Turks from the re-
gion.
Sights
Constructed out of black basalt stone, the fort was originally three storeys high. Some
paving stones in the main entrance have small indentations, carved by former gatekeepers
who played a board game using pebbles to pass the time. By the courtyard entrance, look
for the carvings of animals and various inscriptions.
Above the entrance is Lawrence's Room , strategically overlooking the entry and offset
with arrow slits for defence. Opposite the entrance, and just to the left, are the remains of
an altar , built in the 3rd century AD by the Romans. In the middle of the courtyard is a
small mosque , angled as usual to face Mecca - it dates from the Ayyubid period (early
13th century), but was built on the ruins of a Byzantine church. In the northeast corner of
the courtyard, a hole with stairs leads down to a well , full of water until about 20 years
ago. In the northwest corner are the ruins of the prison .
The northern sections are residential areas with barely discernible ruins of a kitchen
and dining room , and nearby storerooms and stables . The tower in the western wall is
the most spectacular, and features a huge door made of a single massive slab of basalt.
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