Hisham's Palace
قصر هشام | |
The entrance to the palace in 2017 | |
| Alternative name | Khirbet al-Mafjar |
|---|---|
| Location | Jericho Governorate, West Bank, Palestine |
| Coordinates | 31°52′57″N 35°27′35″E / 31.88250°N 35.45972°E |
| Type | Umayyad qasr |
| History | |
| Founded | 724–743 |
| Periods | Early Islamic period |
| Cultures | Umayyad |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1934–1948; 2006– |
| Archaeologists |
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| Public access | Yes |
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. 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 (1.9 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 by an elaborate water system to nearby springs. The site is on the tentative list of World Heritage Sites and has been open to the public since 2021.