Qasr Usaykhim: A Roman Hilltop Fort in Photos

By Alex
Updated October 25, 2026

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On the summit of a small volcanic hill north-east of Azraq, Qasr Usaykhim is a small square Roman fort of black basalt, probably of the 3rd or early 4th century AD. This album starts at its walls and courtyard, moves to the basalt arches that once carried the stone roofs of its rooms, and ends with the hilltop and the wide views over the lava fields and the Azraq basin.

In this album

28 photos of Qasr Usaykhim

Tap a photo to open it full size

Basalt walls around the courtyard of the fort, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 01The Courtyard Walls

Basalt walls with a doorway above tumbled stones, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 02Walls and Rubble

Courses of dark basalt blocks in a fort wall, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 03Courses of Basalt

The corner of a room with a doorway in the basalt walls, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 04A Room Corner

Large dressed basalt blocks in the wall, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 05Dressed Basalt

The walls of a room, built of basalt blocks, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 06Inside a Room

The courtyard filled with fallen basalt, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 07Across the Courtyard

A long basalt wall above tumbled stones, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 08The Long Wall

A basalt wall with a small opening, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 09A Window in the Wall

A surviving basalt room arch against the sky, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 10Arch Against the Sky

A close view of a basalt arch above fallen stones, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 11The Arch Close Up

A basalt arch rising above the rubble on the summit, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 12An Arch on the Summit

A doorway under an arch in the basalt walls, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 13A Doorway

A wall end with an arch beyond, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 14Wall and Arch

An arch on the skyline above the ruins, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 15On the Skyline

Tumbled basalt with the spring of an arch, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 16Arch and Rubble

A heap of fallen basalt blocks below an arch, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 17Fallen Stones

Basalt rubble on the summit of the hill, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 18The Summit

The dark volcanic hilltop under white clouds, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 19The Volcanic Hill

Tumbled basalt above the flat plain, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 20Above the Plain

Basalt rubble on the hilltop, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 21Rubble on the Hill

The view over the Azraq basin from the summit, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 22Over the Azraq Basin

Clouds over the desert below the hill, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 23Clouds over the Desert

The open desert plain below the fort, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 24The Open Plain

The desert plain under a hazy sky, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 25A Hazy Horizon

Low hills and the plain seen from the fort, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 26Hills and Plain

Basalt rocks on the summit and the plain beyond, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 27From the Summit

A field of black basalt stones below the hill, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan — 28The Lava Field

About this album

Site

Qasr Usaykhim, Eastern Desert

Region

Eastern Desert

Period

Byzantine Period, Roman Period

Theme

Coordinates

31.946° N, 36.9524° E

Photos

28 photos

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A surviving basalt room arch against the sky, Qasr Usaykhim, Jordan

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