This small Ottoman-era Hajj fort, strategically built along the historic…
Qal’at Qatrana, an Ottoman-era fort in Jordan, served as a vital rest stop for…
Qal’at Al-Hasa, an Ottoman-era fort in southern Jordan, safeguarded Hajj…
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Jordan’s Ottoman Hajj Forts
GUIDE TO OTTOMAN FORTS EN ROUTE TO MECCA
The Mamluks may have been renowned for prioritising the Hajj route from Cairo to Mecca, but they didn’t neglect another pivotal pathway—the Syrian Hajj route from Damascus. While the Egyptian overland route boasted fortresses and facilities as early as the 13th century, the Syrian route was a different story. It lacked the same protective infrastructure, relying instead on existing structures like Zizia and Qasr Shebib in Zarka. Travellers on this route had little more than the occasional settlement, such as Karak Castle, to rely on during their arduous pilgrimage.
This began to change with the arrival of the Ottoman Sultan Selim I. Within a few years of conquering Syria, he launched an ambitious project to fortify the route. By 1570, a network of strategically placed forts had sprung up, stretching from Damascus to deep into the Hijaz, featuring locations such as Sanamayn, Muzayrib, Mafraq, Qatrana, ‘Unaiza, and Ma’an. These forts followed a standardised design, heavily influenced by medieval caravanserais, with each structure measuring roughly 20 metres per side and built around a central courtyard. Though plain in design, with few decorative elements beyond modest embellishments at the entrances, their solid masonry and precise construction symbolised the strength and authority of the Ottoman Empire. Intriguingly, remnants of Roman influence were found at some fort locations, but evidence of continuous use remains limited.
Eighteenth-century fort construction marked an evolution in design. Newer forts, such as Qal‘at Dab’a, Qal‘at al-Hasa, Qal‘at Fassu‘a, and Qal‘at Mudawwara, departed from earlier styles. They featured corner turrets with narrow gun slits—a response to Bedouin tribes gaining firearms. These forts were even starker in appearance, with no carved stonework embellishing their gateways like the earlier examples at Ma’an or Qatrana. This shift in architecture mirrored not just technological advancements but also changes in trade and security challenges.
The role of these Hajj forts went far beyond protecting caravans. They formed a vital part of the Ottoman defence system for the Red Sea coast, securing communication lines that connected the Hijaz, Syria, and Anatolia. This allowed Ottoman troops to move swiftly to strategic locations like Mecca, Medina, and Yemen when needed.
Standing before one of these isolated forts today, it’s impossible not to marvel at the immense effort required to build them in such remote and challenging landscapes. Each one tells a story of resilience, authority, and the enduring legacy of a route that connected continents and cultures for centuries.
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Ottoman Hajj Forts
