Qasr Al-Kharanah

Qasr Al-Kharanah, is one of the best-known of the desert castles located in present-day eastern Jordan, about 60 kilometers (37 mi) east of Amman and relatively close to the border with Saudi Arabia. It is believed to have been built sometime before the early 8th century AD, based on a graffito in one of its upper rooms, despite visible Sassanid influences. A Greek or Byzantine house may have existed on the site. It is one of the earliest examples of Islamic architecture in the region.

It remains very well preserved, since it is located just off a major highway and is within a short drive of Amman, it has become one of the most visited of the desert castles.

The castle is just south of Highway 40, an important desert road that links Amman with Azraq, the Saudi Arabian border and remote areas of Eastern Jordan and Iraq. It sits on a slight rise just 15 metres (49 ft) above the surrounding desert.