Tourist Trails The Lower Church

The Lower Church

This small church was the heart of the fortified southern medieval suburb of Shobak Castle.

Its simple ground plan resembles that of the church at Al-Wu’aira, one of the Crusader castles in Petra.

As for the construction techniques, here we find the stone-dressing marks of a small axe, used by the Crusader master masons, while the difference in masonry between the apse and the side walls indicates that those masters worked side by side with local builders.

Written documents indicate that Templar and Hospitaller Knights were present in Shobak. Both military religious orders, founded in Jerusalem, had the initial purpose of assisting Christian pilgrims and are believed to have used this church.