Karak, one of the bastions of the Crusaders, located at an altitude of 900 meters above sea level in the walls of the old city. Today, its population is about 170 thousand people. It attracts tourists with plenty of well-preserved Ottoman buildings of the XIX century., Restaurants and excellent infrastructure. But its most important attraction - it is, of course, Karak Castle.

The city is built on a triangular plateau, the narrow southern end where the castle is located. The length of the castle - 220 m, width of 125 m in the northern part and 40 m in the southern part, where the narrow gorge, turned into a ditch separates it of the neighboring, higher hill - once Saladin's favorite fire position. Looking at the wall, easy to spot among the dark rough masonry Crusaders carefully processed blocks from the bright limestone, the work of Arab builders.

A few centuries later, Crusaders spent some twenty years to erect their massive castle. When completed in 1161 it became the residence of the ruler of Transjordan, which at that time was considered the most important fief of the Crusader states, provide them with agricultural produce and pay taxes. After enduring several sieges in the early 1170's, he was captured Karak Reynald de Chatillon, ruler, known for his reckless and barbaric behavior. Breaking all treaties, he began looting merchant caravans and pilgrims on their way to Mecca, attacked the cradle of Islam - the Hijaz, raided Arabian ports on the Red Sea, and even threatened to seize Mecca itself. Saladin, the ruler of Syria and Egypt, reacted swiftly. He captured the town of Karak by force, burned it down, and even nearly captured the castle.

Reynald undertaken in peacetime attack on a large caravan in 1177 resulted in a rapid payback by Saladin, who announced the state Crusader war ended in defeat for the Crusader army at the Battle of Hattin. Saladin freed almost all captured except Reynald, whom he personally executed. The defenders of Karak withstood almost eight months long siege, and then surrendered to the Muslims, who generously let them go on all four sides.

He was back in the hands of the Muslims, Karak became the capital of the region, covering a large part of modern Jordan, and over the next two centuries, played a key role in the political life of the Middle East. For a time, Karak even was the capital of the Mamluk state, when the Sultan an-Nasir Ahmad tired of endless battles in the struggle for power in Cairo. Indeed, his brother and successor as-Salih Ismail had to take eight sieges, before he was able to capture the strength and regain the royal regalia. It was during these sieges Karak had the dubious honor of being the main target of the most modern in those days in the Middle East artillery: Al-Salih Ismail used to assault guns and gunpowder.

During the reign of the Ayyubid and Mamluk sultans first castle was a significant restructuring and fortifications were strengthened with massive towers, which apparently did not have a gate way to the town was through subterranean passages with entrances still visible.

In more recent times, the city now and then became a refuge for rebels, while the castle was used as a place of tribal councils. Since 1894, after the establishment of Turkish power firm, Mamluk palace inside the fortress was turned into a prison. Great Arab Revolt dealt the final blow to Turkish rule, which ended in 1918.