Qasr Burqu

Located in the heart of Jordan’s Eastern Desert by a lake in the far-eastern part of the country, Qasr Burqu is a stunning yet challenging site to reach. Situated 80 km from the Iraqi border, visiting this rarely visited but incredibly worthwhile attraction requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle and a guide, who can be hired at Muqat, where the sign to the palace is, or from Ruweished, 10 km further. The 21 km off-road journey to the northwest across sand flats and wadis takes about 40-50 minutes.

Qasr Burqu’s unique feature is the incongruity of the lake in the midst of the harsh desert. The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) is campaigning to establish Burqu as a protective reserve due to the area’s potential for developing tourism and preserving the natural wildlife, including bird species such as finches, storks, larks, eagles, and vultures. The dam constructed by the Romans in the 3rd century to secure water for caravans traveling between Syria and Arabia created the lake. The surrounding rugged landscape and lack of properly graded roads have acted as a strong deterrent against poaching. The area is already home to gazelles, desert hares, foxes, hyenas, and even caracals, making it an ideal wildlife preserve.

The best time to visit Qasr Burqu is in the spring when the water laps at the foot of the front walls, poppies and iris are blooming among the wormwood, and birds congregate, attracted by the water. The Qasr has several inscriptions, with the longest room on the northeast side having several inscriptions. The small apsidal room on the left with a pointed arch has niches left and right, speculated to have been a reception hall or chapel. A cross decorates the lintel of the circular room on the southwest, which is not bonded into the wall and may represent an earlier building phase. The tower in the courtyard is an earlier building and more finely constructed. There were likely three storeys of rooms, with the wall still standing 8m high.

Qasr Burqu is one of Jordan’s fascinating ancient ruins, along with Qasr Tuba, that visitors should include in their travel plans. The site contains Greek inscriptions dating to the 3rd century and Arabic inscriptions from 700, 1380, and 1409. The tower was likely built in the 3rd century, with the larger enclosure added in the Umayyad era. The longest room bears an inscription on the lintel dating it to 700, mentioning Amir Al-Walid, son of the commander of the faithful, who built these rooms. Walid later became the caliph, indicating continued Umayyad involvement in the region.