Qasr al-Abd

Amman · Jordanien · Ruin

The Castle of the Slave is said to carry a murdered builder's grief – a slave who raised a marvel for love and was slain for it.

The Hellenistic palace of Qasr al-Abd in Wadi Seer, west of Amman, was built in the 2nd century BCE by the Jewish grandee Hyrcanus, who according to Josephus took his own life when his enemies rose to power. The name means Castle of the Slave and comes from a local legend: a slave in love with his master's daughter was promised her hand if he built a palace like no other – but as the work neared completion, the jealous master had him killed. Visitors speak of a heavy sorrow resting over the unfinished stone blocks, and of both the slave's and Hyrcanus's spirits lingering among the lion reliefs and fallen columns.

FAQ

Hvor ligger Qasr al-Abd?

Qasr al-Abd ligger i Amman, Jordanien.

Image: Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany / CC BY-SA 2.0 — Wikimedia Commons