On the road from Amman to Ajlun, driving through olive groves and pine forests, one gasps when the eagle's nest of the ancient Ajlun castle, Qalat Al-Rabad, appears. Its height of 1250 meters furnishes spectacular views across the Jordan Valley and the biblical land of Gilead.

The castle was built in 1184 AD by the Arabs as a defense against the Crusaders. It was one of many castles and observation towers that lit beacons at night to pass signals from the Euphrates to as far as Cairo. Today, it is considered one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture, where one can find fascinating, well-preserved towers, chambers, galleries and staircases.