Just a few kilometers south of Taba, at the very top of the Gulf of Aqaba and just a few hundred meters from the coast, lies Pharaoh's Island. Surmounted by the imposing crenellated bulk of the restored citadel of Salah ad-Din, Pharaoh's Island is one of the most blatantly picturesque spots in the entire gulf. While the restored fortifications have firmly imposed a medieval character upon the island, the history of Geziret Faroun in actually one of exceptional complexity and interest.
The earliest recorded constructions on the island are those of Hiram, king of Tyre (c.969-936 B.C.), a friend to both David and Solomon. About two thousand years later, the Byzantines occupied the island, and they were followed there (in the 12th century) by the Crusaders and then by Salah ad-Din. In 1182, Salah ad-Din rebuilt the Byzantine and Crusader fortifications and further strengthened the island's defences, and it is his "Kasr El-Hadid" that has in large part been restored here. |
