Crusader Castles - AtlasIslamica

Kerak Castle

The striking silhouette of this fortified town and castle will instantly make you understand why the fates of kings and nations were decided here for millennia

Krak des Chevaliers

Being the biggest & best preserved Crusader Castle, Krak des Chevaliers, in the words of TE Lawrence: “one of the Finest Castle in the World”

Acre Fortress

The capture of the city marked the end of further crusades to the Levant. When Acre fell, the Crusaders lost their last major stronghold of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem

The Templars Tunnel

Extraordinary underground passageway built by crusaders to connect their main fortress at old Akko’s southwestern tip with the port

Montréal Castle (Shobak Castle)

Certainly off the beaten track and on spectacular hilltop location, Shobak Castle is a gem to explore that was once a main trade route between Egypt and Syria. Well worth the visit

Byblos Castle

Hz. Salahuddin Ayyubi رحمة الله عليه captured this castle in and partially dismantled the walls

Qala’at Sanjil (Citadel of Raymond de Saint-Gilles)

One of the largest and oldest military fortresses in Lebanon, A citadel that changed hands several times in the last millennium: it served for Crusaders, Mamluk and Ottoman empire

Belfort Castle

Castle that was built more than thousand years ago, Beaufort was one of the last castles to resist Hz. Salahuddin Ayyubi رحمة الله عليه after being captured by Muslims

Sidon Sea Castle

Possibly built over a Phoenician palace, Sidon Sea Castle was built in 1245 and is definetely one of the most picturesque place in Lebanon

Jazirat Fir‘aun (Pharaoh’s Island)

It is called The picturesque Pharaoh’s Island because it was first occupied during the reign of Ramses III

Hidden in between the greenest mountain forests overlooking expansive valleys, Citadel of Salah al-Din is a breathtaking castle incorporating details from various periods including Crusaders and than Muslims

Shaizar Fortress

During the Crusades, the town was a fortress, ruled by the Banu Munqidh family. It played an important part in the Muslim and Christians politics of the crusades

Qal’at Yahmur (Chastel Rouge)

Unique crusaders citadel, little is known about the capture and development of this place

Qal’at al-Marqab (Margat Fortress)

It was one of the major strongholds of the Knights Hospitaller. Like the Krak des Chevaliers, Margat is a large spur castle with many elements of a concentric castle

Arwad Island

Famous as the last piece of land that the Crusaders maintained in Syria

Cathedral of Our Lady of Tortosa

Capture by the Mamluks, the cathedral was turned into a mosque which today serves as the National Museum of Tartus

Bourzey Castle

Also knows as Mirza castle, Bourzey Castle is located at the border of Syria coastal mountains and Ghab valley, 25 km away from Jisr al-Shughur

Belvoir Castle

Located in Belvoir National Park, Belvoir Castle is the best-preserved Crusader castle in Israel occupied Palestine

Yehi’am Fortress National Park

Crusader castle precinct which includes remains of a Roman fort, a Byzantine monastery, burial caves, stones inscribed with crosses and fragments of mosaic