Quseir Amra

By Maggie McKneely

What is Quseir Amra?

Quseir Amra is an 8th-century desert castle in Jordan that served as a fortress, roadside inn, and a hunting lodge for the Umayyad caliphs. It is sometimes written as Qusayr Amra.

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Why is Quseir Amra a UNESCO World Heritage site?

The castle was one of several such sites built east of Amman that the caliphs used for overseeing that part of their empire. In combination with the remains of fortress buildings nearby and the various water systems that served the fortress, it provides an excellent example of Umayyad administrative architecture.

Inside the buildings, there are beautiful, richly-colored frescoes dating back to the 8th century. They are particularly notable for their secular themes, unique in Islamic culture at the time, which often suppressed non-religious artwork. According to UNESCO, “Quseir Amra bears exceptional testimony to the Umayyad civilization which was imbued with a pre-Islamic secular culture and whose austere religious environment left little trace in the visual arts.”

Because most of the other nearby desert castles have had their artwork moved to museums or destroyed over time, Quseir Amra remains the only one with such decorations still intact.

What can you expect on a visit to Quseir Amra?

Visitors can walk into the reception hall and hammam (bath house), where most of the frescoes are located. The paintings include images of warriors, half-naked women, dog races, and hunting, depicting the lively lifestyle of the caliphs who once lived here. The most famous painting on site is the Dome of Heaven, which is a map of the northern hemisphere sky located in the domed ceiling of the bath house. The map includes the zodiac signs and is thought to be the very first map of the universe painted onto a curved surface.

Is Quseir Amra worth visiting?

Quseir Amra is only an hour east of Amman, making for an easy day trip. For those interested in early Islamic architecture with a little extra time on their hands, it’s worth the drive. There are also two other nearby fortresses that you can visit on the same trip. However, if your stay in Jordan is short, it’s fine to skip this. Use the map below to find accommodations in Amman:

What sorts of travelers would like Quseir Amra?

Travelers interested in early Islamic art and architecture would be most interested. There is not much here for kids.

Tips for visiting Quseir Amra

The site is small and only requires about 30 minutes max to visit. You can add on visits to Qasr al-Kharanah and and Qasr al-Azraq, two medieval fortresses. Bring sun protection and water.

If you’re traveling around Jordan, it has several other UNESCO sites, including the most well-known: Petra and Wadi Rum.

Where is Quseir Amra?

It is on Highway 40, about an hour by car south-southeast of Amman. There is free parking but it costs 1JD to enter the site. Compare rental car prices here.

The only other way to get here is to hire an Uber, taxi, or private tour. No other public transportation goes to this part of Jordan.

There are plenty of guided tours that include transportation. Most leave from Amman and combine several desert castles into a full-day tour.

For more information about Quseir Amra, its openings hours and admission fee, see the Visit Jordan website.

Have you been to Quseir Amra? If so, do you have any additional information or advice about this UNESCO World Heritage site? Please add your comments below!