Picture of At-Tawaheen tower in Kerak town (Kerak, Jordan)

Detail of the At-Tawaheen tower in Kerak town

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One more crusader castle in a long line of fortresses built on the long mountain range in the Middle East, Kerak Castle still stands proudly on a hilltop, with the crusader town hidden just behind its defensive walls.
The history of Kerak goes back before Christ. It was on the routes of the ancient caravans more than 2,000 years ago, it played a role in Greek and Roman history, and was known as Kir, Characmoba, and other names, also in the Bible. Actually, al-Karak is derived from karka, which is Aramaic for "the walled town or city". The Crusaders rediscovered the strategical importance of the town, and in 1132CE the castle was built. Several battles and decades passed before Saladin conquered the castle in 1188. Instead of destroying the castle, the Mamluks recognized its importance and decided to strenghten it instead. Even though the castle was damaged by earthquake and neglected for some time, it can still be seen now that different parts were built in different times.
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