Ayla Archaeological Site
آيلة
The ruins of an early Islamic port city founded in the 7th century, with gates and walls beside the seafront avenue in town.
Ayla was founded around 650 CE, shortly after the Islamic conquests, as an early Islamic city. It was an important Red Sea port on the routes to the Hejaz and Egypt, and it declined in the 12th century after an earthquake and the Crusader wars. The site lies between residential streets and hotels, just off the city-centre seafront avenue. Visitors can see the relatively well-preserved Egypt Gate, sections of the city wall, towers and the remains of a mosque, and there are English information boards. Admission is free and outdoors. The site is small, and it is about a 20-minute walk along the shore from the fortress.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Royal Yacht Club of Jordan
- Aqaba Church
- Sharif Hussein Bin Ali Mosque
- Aqaba City Beach & Corniche
- Aqaba & Red Sea
- Aqaba Flagpole & Great Arab Revolt Plaza
- Aqaba Archaeological Museum
- Aqaba Fortress