Islamic Ayla City
Jordan
A 2,000-year-old trade hub that connected Egypt, Arabia, and the Levant.
Contents
9 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation
Welcome to the ancient archaeological site of Ayla, a foundational settlement in the history of the early Islamic world. As you stand here today, you are positioned in the very heart of modern downtown Aqaba in the Hashemite…
Listen in the app2The Outer Fortifications and Defensive Walls
As we begin our exploration along the outer perimeter, I direct your attention to the formidable defensive walls that enclose the city. From an architectural perspective, early Islamic urban planning placed a massive premium on…
Listen in the app3The Egyptian Gate (Bab al Misr)
We now find ourselves at the northern entrance to the city, the imposing structure historically known as the Egyptian Gate, or Bab al Misr. Of the four original entrances that punctured the city walls, this gate provides one of…
Listen in the app4The Damascus Gate and Hijaz Gate
Moving steadily along the perimeter toward the eastern flank of the ruins, we must acknowledge the profound geographical importance of the two other terrestrial entrances to the city, the Damascus Gate to the north east and the…
Listen in the app5The Central Intersection and the Tetra Pylon
We have now walked from the outer gates to the absolute geographic center of the ancient city. You are standing at the primary intersection where the two main thoroughfares, connecting the four gates, crossed at precise right…
Listen in the app6The Main Commercial Street and Merchants Quarter
Leaving the central intersection, we now proceed southward down the main commercial thoroughfare toward the sea. As you walk along this excavated path, you must mentally rebuild the environment around you. …
Listen in the app7The Sea Gate (Bab al Bahr) and Maritime Port
We have now reached the southern extremity of the main street, arriving at the remains of the Sea Gate, historically known as Bab al Bahr. If you compare the architectural footprint of this gate to the Egyptian Gate we explored…
Listen in the app8The Congregational Mosque (Masjid)
Our final major stop within the city walls brings us to the southeast quadrant, where we find the expansive ruins of Ayla's congregational mosque. Compared to the rest of the city, which was uncovered in the nineteen eighties,…
Listen in the app9Closing
As we conclude our audio tour of Islamic Ayla City, let us pause to reflect on the dramatic decline and eventual disappearance of this once glorious metropolis. The death of Ayla was not brought about by a single, catastrophic…
Listen in the app
What is Islamic Ayla City?
Islamic Ayla City is a place in Jordan with 9 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Jordan |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 9 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 29.5310, 35.0007 |
| Last updated |
