description Aqaba Castle Overview
Aqaba Castle, also called Aqaba Fort, is a historic fortification in Aqaba, Jordan, near the northern shore of the Red Sea. The complex has Mamluk origins and was rebuilt or altered during the Ottoman period, including work associated with Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri in the early sixteenth century. Its buildings later became connected with the Arab Revolt and now form a landmark and museum site in the city.
help Aqaba Castle FAQ
Where is Aqaba Castle and what is it also called?
Aqaba Castle, or Aqaba Fort, stands in Aqaba, Jordan, beside the northern shore of the Red Sea. It is near the Sharif Hussein bin Ali House and the Great Arab Revolt Plaza, linking the fort to Aqaba's 20th-century history. [Visit Jordan](https://international.visitjordan.com/wheretogo/aqaba/?tabid=141)
Which rulers are tied to the present Aqaba Castle?
The fort's standing fabric is linked to Mamluk Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri, whose reign was 1501 to 1517, and to Ottoman Sultan Murad III. Two inscriptions connect the building to these phases, including Ottoman work around 1587. [Discover Islamic Art](https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument%3BISL%3Bjo%3BMon01%3B29%3Ben)
Was Aqaba Castle a palace or a military fort?
It functioned as a fortified caravanserai on the pilgrimage route toward Mecca and Medina, as well as military barracks. That mix of shelter, trade, and defense explains why a small Red Sea stronghold mattered beyond Aqaba itself. [Visit Jordan](https://international.visitjordan.com/wheretogo/aqaba/?tabid=141)
What happened to Aqaba Castle in 1917?
Ottoman control ended during the 1917 Arab Revolt, when the fortress sustained serious damage after bombardment by the British Royal Navy. The adjacent house built for Sharif Hussein bin Ali in 1917 now houses the Aqaba Archaeological Museum. [Royal Jordanian](https://www.rj.com/en/explore-jordan/holy-travels/islamic-soul-sights/mamluk-castle-of-aqaba)
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