A lonely reminder of former Crusader glory is Shobak Castle, less than an hour north of Petra. Once called “Mont Real”, Shobak dates from the same turbulent period as Karak. It is perched on the side of a mountain, with a grand sweep of fruit trees below. The castle’s exterior is impressive, with a forbidding gate and encircling triple wall. Despite the precautions of its builder, the fortress fell to Saladin only 75 years after it was raised. Inscriptions by his proud successors appear on the castle wall.Duration: This depends on the pace of the tourist but can take up to an hour from the visitors’ center to the Treasury.