Qusayr raAmra in Arabic: Quá¹£ayr Ê¿Amra - or the small palace of Amra - is the most famous palace built in the desert among those found in eastern Jordan.
The building was erected at the beginning of the 8th century (probably between 711 and 715) by the Umayyad caliph al-Walīd I, at the beginning of his dominion over this region. The palace is therefore one of the first examples of Islamic art and architecture.
The palace, which was used as a retreat by the caliph or by his family for pleasure or sports activities, is decorated with frescoes representing hunting scenes (mainly of mammals now extinct throughout the Near East, fruits and female nudes.
The building also contains a bathroom with a triple vaulted ceiling that demonstrates the Roman-Byzantine influence.
The structure, after having been abandoned in ancient times, was rediscovered in 1898 by Alois Musil. In 1985 the castle was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Today Quá¹£ayr Amra is in worse condition than those of the other desert castles, with frescoes damaged by graffiti, to remedy which are currently undergoing restoration works.
Qusayr Amra Castel
Address: 40 Street, Giordania
Phone:
Site:
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