Azraq & the Eastern Desert Highway - Jordan - page 483

(an uncommon material in buildings of this style) rather than black basalt. And of course,
don't miss the ancienttoilets (complete with drains), located at the back of the hall.
Getting There & Away
Qasr al-Mushatta is impossible to reach by public transport. As the castle is located near
sensitive areas - primarily the airport - make sure you have your passport ready to show
the guards at the military checkpoints along the route.
If you're driving from Amman, head towards the Queen Alia International Airport, turn
left off the Desert Highway to the airport, then turn right at the roundabout just past the
Golden Tulip Airport Hotel. Leave your passport at the first security check and then fol-
low the road for 12km around the perimeter of the airport, turning right by the second and
third check posts.
An alternative is to charter a taxi from the airport (JD15) - a great idea if you have a
long wait for a flight - or combine a taxi to the airport with a visit to the ruins. A visit can
be made from the airport in an hour.
FOR THE COMMITTED QASR-SPOTTER…
If the castles of the Zarqa-Azraq-Amman loop have whetted your appetite for Umayyad architecture, then you could
earn your qasr -spotting badge by searching out one or two of the lesser qasr sites. Even though the ruins are not ex-
actly spectacular, they each offer an opportunity to get off the beaten track into remote desert territory. You could
visit the following three sites, all accessed via Hwy 40 between Azraq and Amman, on a day trip but it would be
hard to fit any of them into the castle loop described in this chapter unless you stop overnight in Azraq.
Qasr al-Tuba
Easily the most impressive of the lesser-known castles, Tuba lies approximately 75km southeast of Amman and
captures the sense of a staging post on long-forgotten incense routes. Tuba was erected by Caliph Walid II in about
AD 743 and abandoned following his sudden assassination. The structure is unique for its sun-baked mud bricks and
you can see an imposing doorway from the site at Amman's National Archaeological Museum. Tuba is only access-
ible by 4WD along dirt tracks 50km south of Hwy 40, or 35km west of the Desert Highway. A knowledgeable guide
is recommended, though most local villagers can point out the castle to you. The sole nesting place in Jordan of the
rare Houbara bustard is at nearby Thalathwat.