QASR AL-BURQU

North of the village of Ruwaished, the oasis of Burqu appears like a mirage in the middle of the desert. The landscape is revealed in all its splendor at the end of a generous rainy season, when the waters of the lake come to lick the foot of the tower. It is best to hire a guide to get there, as the Iraqi border is very close and the tracks are not marked. The site is worth a visit, but you need to be very motivated: it is too far away to be included in a one-day itinerary on the Desert Castles Route. You will need to bring a tent to stay there.

The oasis is home to many migratory birds that pass through the area, and more and more birders are visiting. A reserve project has been under consideration for many years. The lake is not a natural oasis; it was formed after the Romans built a dam in the third century when they had just built yet another fortress on their eastern defense line. It served to protect the caravan route and the oasis of Burqu, where merchants and their mounts stopped. The place continued to be inhabited, especially during the Byzantine period, when a church was built and inscriptions were left. Rooms were added by the Umayyads under the Emirate of Walid I (705-715). This was one of the first castles to be remodeled by the Umayyads, of which only a part of the tower and the foundations remain visible today.