Mysteria
Hisham's Palace
Widely accepted31.8825° N · 35.4597° E

Hisham's Palace

Jericho Governorate, Palestinian National Authority

Wikimedia Commons · CC (see file page)

About

About Hisham's Palace

Hisham's Palace (Arabic: قصر هشام Qaṣr Hishām), also known as Khirbat al-Mafjar (Arabic: خربة المفجر), is an important early Islamic archaeological site in the city of Jericho, in the West Bank in Palestine. Built by the Umayyad dynasty in the first half of the 8th century, it is one of the so-called Umayyad desert castles. It is located 3 kilometres (2 mi) north of Jericho's city center, in an area governed by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

The palace was used until the 11th century, and it may have been destroyed by an earthquake in 1033. Spreading over 60 hectares (150 acres), the site consists of three main parts: a palace, an ornate bath complex, and an agricultural estate. The entire complex – palace, baths, and farm – was connected to nearby springs by an elaborate water system. The site is on the tentative list of World Heritage Sites and has been open to the public since 2021.

The palace has one of the largest continuous mosaic floors in the world covering nearly 850 square metres (9,100 sq ft).

History

How it came to be

Built
c. 740 CE
Excavation
Not applicable

On the ground

Structures & features

Gallery

Photos

Search Mysteria

Search places, or jump to a section