Qasr Amra is the Jordanian desert palace renowned for early Islamic frescoes and a bathing complex.
The monument lies in Jordan’s eastern desert and was built during the early 8th century, probably under the Umayyad caliph al-Walid I or his successors. Unlike a monumental city palace, Qasr Amra is a relatively small rural complex associated with leisure, bathing, and elite travel.
Its surviving hall contains painted scenes of rulers, animals, musicians, and activities associated with courtly life. The bath complex includes rooms with decorated vaults, and the paintings preserve valuable evidence about Umayyad visual culture. A zodiac representation on the domed ceiling of the bathhouse is one of its most discussed features.
Qasr Amra is part of Jordan’s group of so-called desert castles, although many were not strictly castles used for military defence. It is often confused with Qasr Kharana and Qasr al-Azraq, which are separate structures in the same broad desert region.