Historical sites in Aqaba

Ancient Ruins and Heritage Sites

Discover millennia of history across the Aqaba and Wadi Rum regions, from prehistoric petroglyphs to early Islamic architecture. This collection features the world's oldest purpose-built Roman church, the 1st-century BC Nabataean Temple, and the Mamluk-era Aqaba Castle. Explore the ruins of Ayla, the first Islamic city established outside the Arabian Peninsula, alongside ancient desert irrigation systems and Iron Age fortifications that reveal the strategic importance of these trade routes.

Luigi Rubagotti / CC-BY-SA

Wadi Rum Protected Area

Wadi Rum, known also as the Valley of the Moon, is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan 60 km to the east of…

Aqaba Castle

The Aqaba Castle or Aqaba Fort, also known as the Mamluk Castle of Aqaba, Jordan, is a Mamluk and Ottoman fortified caravanserai on the…

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Lawrence House

Built upon the foundations of a Nabataean structure, these ruins are historically associated with T.E. Lawrence, who reportedly used the site during the Arab Revolt.

Ayla

Aqaba is the only coastal city in Jordan and the largest and most populous city on the Gulf of Aqaba.

Fourth century Roman church

Dating to approximately 300 AD, this mud-brick structure is considered one of the oldest purpose-built Christian churches in the world.

Nabatean Rock Inscriptions

Ancient Thamudic and Nabataean petroglyphs carved into the canyon walls, providing historical evidence of early desert navigation and tribal presence.

Nabataean Temple

A 1st-century BC temple dedicated to the goddess Allat, showcasing Nabataean architectural elements and ritual inscriptions near the base of Jebel Rum.