| Qasr Harrana | |
|---|---|
قصر حرّانة | |
 South and west elevations, 2009 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Castle |
| Architectural style | Islamic |
| Location | Amman Governorate, Jordan |
| Coordinates | 31°43′44″N 36°27′46″E / 31.72889°N 36.46278°E |
| Elevation | 659 metres (2,162 ft) |
| Completed | by 710 AD |
| Owner | Jordanian Ministry of Antiquities |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 2 |
| Floor area | 1,225 square metres (13,190 sq ft)[1] |
Qasr Harrana (Arabic: قصر حرّانة), sometimes Qasr al-Kharana, Harana, Qasr al-Harrana, Qasr al-Haranah, Haraneh, Khauranee, or Hraneh, is one of the best-known of the desert castles located in present-day eastern Jordan, about 60 kilometres (37 mi) east of Amman and relatively close to the border with Saudi Arabia. It is uncertain when the palace was constructed, but it likely originates from the Umayyad Dynasty. An inscription on an upper wall dates the building to before 710 CE. A Greek or Byzantine house may have existed on the site. The purpose of the building is a subject of debate among scholars. Theories as to the qasr's purpose include a Crusader's castle, a military stronghold, agricultural outpost, and resting place for caravan travelers. The current scholarly consensus is that the building was used as for meeting between local Bedouin leaders.[2]
- ^ Ettinghausen, Richard; Grabar, Oleg; Jenkins, Marilyn (2001). Islamic Art and Architecture, 650–1250. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-300-08869-4. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
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