A pigeon is perched on a small stone window in an ancient edifice in Jordan. The space is dark with most of its limited light coming in through the one window.

Another very different offering for #WindowsOnWednesday

A #pigeon contemplates its life as in gazes out of an ancient #window in one of #Jordan’s #desertcastles

I’ll need to research the photo to provide more info on the specific site, but I liked the atmospherics of this shot

#JordanTravel

This fresco of a musician playing a lyre is on an arch that supports the roof of the reception hall. Qasr Amra was built around 730 A.D., possibly as a hunting lodge, for Umayyad crown prince Walid Ibn Yazid, who eventually became caliph Walid II. The main remaining building on the site was comprised of the reception hall and an elaborate bath house, which included three different temperature spas. The interior of this main building is decorated with many elaborate frescoes. I’ll share some more of these over the next two or three days. The site also includes elaborate (for the time) waterworks to support the bath house operations.

My offering for #Stunday

This is a beautiful example of the extensive frescoes that adorn the walls and ceilings of #qasramra, one of the #desertcastles in the eastern desert of #Jordan.

I’ll be doing a series on this fascinating historical site this week. It’s small but “mighty”.

See ALT 4 more

I took some liberties with the color settings to romanticize this shot a bit. Please excuse me if I have crossed a line of good artistic taste 😉 Hope you enjoyed your visit to Qasr Al-Mshatta!

We conclude our tour of Qasr Al-Mshatta with this view. I love seeing the modern shipping container through the ancient entrance arch. History and present coincide so often in #Jordan. This is a wonderful example.

#jordanhistory #architecture #desertcastles #umayyad #jordantravel #ammantravel

In the foreground is a large stone with a carved circular hole. This was probably part of a water handling system. In the background, we see a portion of the perimeter wall with four guard houses. This gives a sense for the size of the overall complex. This was intended to be large, grand palace for a powerful regional leader.

A view of the grand entrance and facade — taken from inside one of the guard houses.

Intricately carved decorations from one of the palace facades. Note that the best preserved facade elements were removed from this site, and are on display in a German museum. Hat tip to Wikipedia. Please consider making a donation to support this invaluable resource.

Another beautifully carved decorative sandstone block.

Continuing with our tour of Qasr Al-Mshatta

The palace was protected by a perimeter wall with 25 guard houses. Two photos focus on the guard houses.

The other photos focus on decorations from facades of the palace.

See ALTs for a little more commentary

#jordanhistory #desertcastles #architecture

A nice view through a narrow doorway in the palace. I especially love the reflected warmth of the light on the left side of the doorway.

Two simple doorways align with late morning sun warming the farther wall. The bright blue Jordanian sky caps the sun-gold wall.

Another peek-a-boo doorway with a shipping container in our sight. Love the layers of light.

A few more from Qasr Al-Mshatta…

These give a few more nice looks inside and from inside the palace.

See ALTs for a bit more commentary.

#jordanhistory #jordantravel #umayyad #desertcastles
#architecture

A view from the main aisle of the palace looking back through the grand entrance arches. Note the unusual tapered stone columns in the foreground. In the distance, modern industrial buildings are visible. Hat tip to Wikipedia for some of my textual content. Please consider making a donation to support this invaluable resource.

Semi-circular structure beside the throne room with a signature Jordanian blue sky.

A large arched ceiling inside the palace. Note the excellent brick work.

More superb brickwork in the palace.

Architectural details from Qasr Al-Mshatta. I’m not an expert, but Wikipedia tells us that the palace was constructed in an Umayyad style for Caliph Al-Walid II.

See ALTs for a little more commentary.

#jordanhistory #jordantravel #desertcastles #architecture
#umayyad