Twenty nine kilometres southwest of Karbala, the pilgrim encounters a famous Islamic archaeological structure. This is the castle of al-Akhaidar about which a controversy is developing between scholars over when the building was actually constructed. Some of them say that the appearance of the brickwork proves that it was built in the 2nd century A.H., yet others suggest that it was built well before that date. Al-Akhaidar was the name of a prince of the tribe of Kinda, which was famous throughout the Arab lands during the 1st century A.H.