Ajlun – The Jewel of Jordan
Ajlun is the capital town of the Ajlun Governorate. It is a hilly town in the north of Jordan and which is located 76 kms to the northwest of Amman. The Ajlun Governorate has a population of over 130,000 spread over in twenty-seven towns and villages. The majority of Ajlun’s population is made up of Muslims, though there is a minority of Christians. Most of the people in the Ajlun Governorate are engaged in agriculture. The important towns of Ajlun are Ain Janna, Kufranji, Anjara, Sakhra, Ibbeen, and Hashmieh.
Ajlun is one of the most famous cities in Jordan and the city is particularly famous for its Ajlun Castle. The Ajlun Mountains are famous for their abundant vegetation and thick forests. The highest mountain peaks reach to a height of about 1650 meters above sea level. This area is one of the most beautiful regions in the country.
Jordan has a weather which differs throughout the country. Though Jordan has a pleasant climate there is a lot of diversity. There is abundant snow fall in the area and you will also see a few snow storms. Ajlun’s high elevation makes it one of the coolest cities of Jordan. The weather is pleasant in summer and the winters can be severe with a few snowfalls. The mountainous region and the north has a Mediterranean type of climate with hot summers, very little rainfall, and pleasant spring and autumn. The area around the Dead Sea and the Red Sea are warm through the year. Nights are mostly cool throughout the country and pleasant even in summer.
Ajlun is famous for its prominent landmark – the Ajlun Castle. It is an Islamic Castle which stands on the top of Jabal Auf near Ajlun. It is also called the Rabadh Castle and Qal’at Al-Rabed. The huge Castle was built by Izz al-Din Usama who was a nephew and commander of Salah ad-Din al-Ayyubi (also known as Saladin). The fortress is one of the few fortresses built to protect the country from Crusader attacks. The fortress commanded and controlled a wide area of the kingdom. The main function of the Castle was protection of the communication routes between Jordan and Syria. The castle also performed another important function of protecting and controlling the iron mines of Ajlun. The castle lost its military importance after the fall of Karak in 1187 AD. In the latter half of the 13th century the castle was taken over by King of Aleppo who restored it and used it as an administrative center. The massive earthquakes of 1837 and 1927 damaged the castle and a restoration work has been undertaken.
The 13 square kilometer area of Ajlun Nature Reserve is located in the Gilead Hills and has Mediterranean-like hill country with open wood lands of oak and pistachio trees. The reserve was opened in 1988 to start a captive-breeding program for roe deer. The Royal Society for the conservation of nature has put up two hiking trails and provides a special area for camping. The area has oak, pistachio, pine, carob, and wild strawberry trees; these trees supply the local people with firewood, medicines, and food apart from adding scenic beauty to the environment. Three kilometers to the west of Ajlun is the Aala’at ar-Rabad. The area which is full of pine forests and olive groves are good for hiking. It is also a good place for picnicking in the summers. The view from here is marvelous.
When you are here in Jordan, do come to Ajlun and enjoy the beauty and the beautiful atmosphere of the place.
