!!!Aqaba, Jordan

Photos by Stas Sedov and
Sergey Shandin,
members of the [AirPano Team|Geography/About/Consortium/AirPano,_Team] that is a member of the [global-geography Consortium|Geography/About/Consortium]. \\

26 August 2020

with kind permission of [AirPano|http://www.AirPano.com]

The Jordanian city of Aqaba is located on the northern coast of the Red
Sea and has been a busy harbour since time immemorial. The Byzantines,
Crusaders, Arab Caliphate warriors and many other armies fought for the
right to possess this port. By 1917, it had remained the last Ottoman
harbour on the Red Sea but the British army led by Thomas Edward
Lawrence managed to conquer it. These events, albeit with certain
inaccuracies, were reflected in a British epic historical drama Lawrence
of Arabia.

[{Image src='01_Aqabe.jpg' caption='"Princess Haya" Circle. Aqaba, Jordan\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='555'}]

Nowadays Aqaba is a peaceful resort and the ninth-largest Jordanian
city. Even in winter, the temperature does not fall below +22 °C, so the
27-kilometre section of coast is full of hotels and restaurants with a
luxurious yacht club and diving centres: the coral reefs of the Gulf of
Aqaba attract many divers.

[{Image src='02_Aqabe.jpg' caption='Mövenpick Resort & Residences Aqaba 5*. Aqaba, Jordan\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='555'}]

The Aqaba Flagpole was established on the shore to commemorate the Arab
Revolt. It is the 6th-tallest free-standing flagpole in the world at a
height of 130 metres. The flagpole can be seen not only in AirPano
aerial view panoramas but also from neighbouring countries: Eilat in
Israel and Taba in Egypt!

[{Image src='03_Aqabe.jpg' caption='Above the Aqaba Flagpole\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='555'}]

Just behind it, there is another great landmark of Aqaba, the Mamluk
Castle or Aqaba Fort. This fortification was originally built by the
Crusaders in the 12th century, later captured by Salah ad-Din Yusuf and
the fortress was destroyed until it was rebuilt by the Mamluk forces
coming from Egypt four centuries later. The fort is square in shape with
semicircular towers at the corners. The fortress has recently been
restored while close to it, in AlHafayer Park, some remnants of the
ancient ruins have been preserved.

Among other parks of Aqaba, there are Princess Salma Park and Green
Belt. Both of them are a little far from the coast and allow to find
some cool air in the middle of the city.

[{Image src='04_Aqabe.jpg' caption='Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='308'}]

Another great sight of Aqaba is Sharif Hussein bin Ali Mosque built in
1975 to honour one of the emirs of Mecca, a descendant of the Prophet
Muhammad. A little further, there is a nice and convenient road junction
Great Arab Revolt Circle; just behind it close to the Mövenpick Resort
Hotel, you can observe the ruins of the ancient Islamic city of Ayla. It
is believed to have existed during the reign of King Solomon and to be
the conjunction of trade routes between Africa, Asia and Europe. Later,
it became a part of the Roman Empire and it was a resting place for
pilgrims heading to Mecca in the 8th-9th centuries. Archaeological
researches are still taking place here.

[{Image src='05_Aqabe.jpg' caption='Aqaba, Jordan\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='555'}]

We hope that you enjoyed this journey to the past and the present of
this Red Sea resort made with AirPano!

\\ \\
[7 panoramas of Aqaba, Jordan|Geography/Asia/Jordan/Pictures/Aquaba]

[{SET customtitle='Aqaba, Jordan (AP)'}]












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