Fortress sights in Tripoli (Trablous)
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
A
Citadel of Raymond de Saint-Gilles
The city is dominated by the vast Citadel of Raymond de Saint-Gilles , known as Qala'at Sanjil in Arabic. In AD 1102 Raymond de Saint-Gilles occupied the hill which overlooks the valley, the town and the coast. He decided to transform this position, which he called Mont Pelerin (Mt Pilgrim), into a fortress. The original castle was burnt down in 1289, and again on several subsequent occasions.
It was rebuilt (1307-08) by Emir Essendemir Kurgi, and was added to right up until the 19th century. As a result, only the foundation stones remain of the original construction.The first entrance is a huge Ottoman gateway, over which is an engraving from Süleyman the Magnificent, wh…
reviewed
-
B
Burj Es-Sabaa (Lion Tower)
The only monument of real interest in Al-Mina is the Lion Tower, a miniature fortress at the eastern end of the harbour. Named after the bas-relief lions that used to line the facade, the building dates from the end of the 15th century and was probably built by Mamluk sultan Qaitbey to protect the coastline against attack from the Ottomans.
It's an exceptional example of Mamluk military architecture, with a striking black-and-white striped portico. The whole of the ground floor is one vast chamber with traces of paintings and armorial carvings. The upper floor has eight rooms opening onto a central hall and the roof terrace has great views. Lion Tower is separated from A…
reviewed
