ANCIENT CITY OF AYLA

Fortunately, there are two signs indicating the location of what remains of the ruins of Ayla - the ancient city of Aqaba. Excavations undertaken in 1989 uncovered the remains of the walls that surrounded the city, a seventh-century mosque, columns and turrets. The city was protected by fortification walls 2.60 meters thick forming an enclosure about 80 meters long. The ramparts were punctuated by 24 defensive towers, whose bases can still be seen. Two streets crossed the city, intersecting in its center and forming four quarters, in accordance with the Islamic architectural organization. Each of these sections had a gate that connected it to the outside world. From the northern gate, the road to Egypt started; from the eastern gate, the road to Damascus; from the southern gate, the road to Hejaz and the Arabian Peninsula; and from the western gate, the road to the sea, a crucial communication axis. Unfortunately, little remains of these gates. A mosque was built by the Umayyads in the 7th century. Its remains can be seen by entering the site on the right. The sanctuary consisted of two parallel aisles leading to the mihrab, the central niche on the back wall facing Mecca. The market was located as close to the sea as possible, at the southwestern end of the city (at the end of the main road, on the right). Explanatory panels in English and Arabic will give you some information. An interesting visit, without being compulsory.