Karak: a fortress since biblical times

AMMAN — Karak Governorate, which has a population of 316,629 according to the 2015 population census, is located around 150km south of Amman. 

Karak Castle is a “dark maze of stone-vaulted halls and endless passageways”, according to the Jordan Tourism Board’s (JTB) website. 

The Crusader castle’s best-preserved passageways are underground. 

In the Castle Plaza, 19th century Ottoman administrative buildings have been redesigned to house a tourist centre, with restaurants, a crafts centre and other facilities grouped around the central plaza, the website said. 

While the castle essentially dates back to the 12th century, Karak has been a fortress since biblical times. 

Many Jordanian Christian families come from Karak, and some of them trace their origins back to the Byzantines, the JTB said.