Jordan Travel, Tours and Holidays for Middle East

It was the Crusaders who made Kerak famous. The fortress was built in 1142 on the remains of earlier citadels, which date back to Nabatean times. All the inhabitants of the town could gather for protection within the citadel in times of danger. It was not until the end of 1188, after a siege of more than a year that Kerak finally surrendered to the Muslims. Kerak is still a largely Christian town, and many of today's Christian families trace their origins back to the Byzantines. There is a small but interesting museum in the castle; one of the finest of its type surviving today.