Aqaba Fort medieval castle on the Red Sea waterfront

Aqaba Fort (Mamluk Castle)

Aqaba, Jordan

History
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Duration1 hr
EffortEasy
BudgetBudget
PriceUSD 3
StyleSelf-Guided

About This Activity

The Aqaba Fort (Qal'at al-Aqaba) is a Mamluk-era castle built in the early 16th century on the waterfront of what was then a major trading port. The fort is most famous as the site of the Battle of Aqaba (1917), when T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and Auda Abu Tayi's Bedouin forces captured the fort from Ottoman forces — a pivotal moment in the Arab Revolt immortalized in David Lean's 1962 film. The fort is small but atmospheric, with Mamluk-inscribed gates, a mosque, and views across the Gulf of Aqaba to the mountains of Egypt and Saudi Arabia visible on clear days.

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