File:14_Al-Karak_2.JPG · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Al-Karak
Sign in to saveAlso known as Kerak, Charakmoba
Al-Karak (), in English sources often simply Karak, is a city in Jordan known for its medieval castle, the Kerak Castle. The castle is one of the three largest castles in the region, the other two being in Syria. Al-Karak is the capital city of the Karak Governorate.
OverviewAI-generated
Al-Karak, also known by its native label الكرك, is a city in Jordan. It serves as the capital of the Karak Governorate and has historically been the capital of the mutasarrifate of Karak. The city was established in 1140 and is situated at an elevation of 930 meters above sea level. Its population is recorded as 21,678, and it covers an area of 3,495. Al-Karak is twinned with Veliko Tarnovo.
The city is located in the UTC+02:00 time zone. A significant historical event associated with the location is the Siege of Kerak. Al-Karak is distinct from the Karak District.
Synthesized by Vinony from 47 facts across 7 sources: Wikidata, Open Meteo, Openweathermap, OpenStreetMap, GeoNames, Vinony graph, Geo. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.
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Key facts
- Settlement.official_name
- Al-Karak
- Settlement.nickname
- Qir of Moab
- Settlement.settlement_type
- City
- Settlement.image_skyline
- 14 Al-Karak 2.JPG
- Settlement.imagesize
- 250px
- Settlement.image_caption
- The Karak Castle
- Settlement.image_flag
- Flag of Greater Karak Municipality.png
- Settlement.pushpin_map
- Jordan
- Settlement.pushpin_relief
- 1
- Settlement.subdivision_type
- Country
- Settlement.subdivision_type1
- Governorate
- Settlement.subdivision_name1
- Karak Governorate
- Settlement.established_title2
- Greater Karak Municipality
- Settlement.established_date2
- 1893
- Settlement.leader_title
- Mayor
- Settlement.leader_name
- Mohammed Maaitah
- Settlement.area_metro_km2
- 765
- Settlement.area_metro_sq_mi
- 295
via Wikipedia infobox
Travel guide
Understand
thumb|View of the old city of Karak from the Crusader fort It has a significant Christian population. Kerak is on the King's Highway, 124 km south of the capital Amman, and is the site of a magnificently-situated Crusader castle, now an evocative ruin on the skyline above the city.
In biblical times Kerak was the capital of the Moab Kingdom. Later it was ruled by the Nabataeans, after which the Romans took over. Under the Byzantines it was used as the seat of a bishopric. Left abandoned until 1140, when the crusaders acknowledged its strategic meaning and built a mighty fortress here. Only 50 years later it was conquered by the Arabs.
Get in
There are three bus stations in Kerak. is near the castle, and the is in the south-eastern part of the city about 5 km from the old city. Ask someone local which one to use for the surrounding area, or to get to Madaba or Petra.
Minibuses Aqaba (1.75 JD) run roughly hourly. These also pass through Madaba and Ma'an (for Petra).
From Amman, mini-buses leave from the South Bus Station (Mujemma Al-Janoob) when full (2.25 JD, 2 hr, Oct 2018). They arrive at the station below the castle. A taxi up to the castle (al-Qasr) will cost 2 JD. It is a 20-min walk back down to the bus station. It is easy to see the castle on a day trip from Amman.
Get around
Between the old city and the rest of the city local (shared) taxis should be used for around 2 JD.
By car, the roads in town are narrow and usually one-way, but the town is compact, so you can park wherever you find space and walk to the castle.
See
thumb|Statue in the old city of Saladin, who liberated the city and region from the Crusaders
Go next
– a village on the way to Dana Reserve or Petra, respective, might be worth a visit for its authenticity. – great nature reserve famous for its impressive canyons. Read more here. Limited access in winter. Dead Sea – besides Petra the most famous tourist attraction in Jordan. Madaba – known as the 'City of Mosaics' is famous for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of Palestine and the Nile delta at St. George Church. Dana Nature Reserve – stay in a local village within the Nature Reserve, and enjoy unforgettable hiking in an offshoot of the Great Rift. Petra – The most famous sight in Jordan.
Travel guide from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0)
~11 min read
Encyclopedic overview
17 sectionsContents
- History
- Iron Age to Assyrian period
- Hellenistic to Early Muslim period
- Crusader, Ayyubid and Mamluk periods
- Ottoman period
- Karak revolt and Arab Revolt
- British Mandate, Emirate of Transjordan
- Kingdom of Jordan
- Climate
- Demographics
- Cuisine
- Gallery
- Notable Person
- See also
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
Al-Karak (), in English sources often simply Karak, is a city in Jordan known for its medieval castle, the Kerak Castle. The castle is one of the three largest castles in the region, the other two being in Syria. Al-Karak is the capital city of the Karak Governorate.
Al-Karak lies to the south of Amman on the ancient King's Highway. It is situated on a hilltop about above sea level and is surrounded on three sides by a valley. Al-Karak has a view of the Dead Sea. A city of about 32,216 people (2005) was formed around castle. The town is built on a triangular plateau with the castle at its narrow southern tip.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Al-Karak” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.
Gallery (8)
On the map
5 mapped locations