Alexandria is where you can find Qaitbay Citadel. Not only is it a monument, but it is also a beautiful piece of history and architecture.
Qaitbay Castle is an impressive castle that looks like a small sand castle from a distance. It has become an important symbol for the city of Alexandria.
A visit to Qaitbay Citadel, part of almost every Alexandria tour, gives tourists a great view of the Mediterranean Sea.
Qaitbay Citadel Location:
The Citadel is located at the western end of Alexandria. It was an excellent place to be because it kept the city safe from attacks by the Crusaders and others starting in the 15th century.
Among its unique features is that it was built with parts of the ancient lighthouse, which was built in the third century AD and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
During the rule of the Mamluk Sultan Qalawun in Egypt in 1303, an earthquake almost destroyed the lighthouse.
Every tourist visiting the city must take a tour of Qaitbay Citadel. Many excursions to Egypt include a half-day or full-day tour to Alexandria or the Citadel of Qaitbey.
It can be reached west on Corniche Street (or Costanera). At the end of Corniche Street, you can find it.
History of Qaitbay Citadel:
In June 1477, Sultan Qaitbay went to Alexandria with a group of nobles, princes, and members of his royal family. He had just celebrated the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad with his people.
Alexandria was on guard for the arrival of the Sultan and his group. Qaitbay looked around where the ruins of the old lighthouse were and ordered his men to build a strong fortress there.
Construction began in 1477 and was completed in 1479 when Qaitbay gave it the official name.
How was Qaitbay Citadel built?
We can tell the difference between the walls and those on the outside. Soldiers’ quarters and armories make up the shorter inner walls.
The outer walls contain four defensive walls that protect the castle from danger.
The Mediterranean Sea can be seen from the eastern side of the outer walls, which are two meters wide and eight meters high.
The western side of the walls is the widest and features three sieve-like towers. This is the oldest part of the castle.
Alexandria’s eastern port is located on the north side of the Citadel. This aspect consists of two parts. The lower part is a covered corridor with several rooms for planning attacks on the city.
The upper part consists of narrow gorge soldiers use to protect the castle. The interior walls were of solid rock and almost surrounded the central tower, except on the north side.
Main castle tower:
The tallest building in the complex is the central tower. It looks like a square, each side 17 meters long and 30 meters high. It has three floors and four cylindrical towers at the four corners of the main building. The main building also has some small windows so that archers can use them to shoot arrows if they are attacked.
The first floor in Qaitbay Citadel:
There is also a mosque on the first floor of the castle. It was built in the Mamluk style, which was popular then. It contains four small galleries called “iwans,” an open courtyard in the middle of a nave and marble floor, and a beautifully decorated mihrab that does not face Mecca. The architect who built the castle wanted it applicable to the army. This mosque used to have a minaret, but it fell with time.
The second floor in Qaitbay Citadel:
The second floor of the castle contains a lot of small rooms and chambers, as well as some large rooms that were used for different things. Since Qaitbay Citadel is one of the most important buildings in Egypt, many kings and rulers have paid attention to it over the years.
One of the first to make changes to the castle was Sultan al-Ghuri, the last of the Mamluks of the Burji dynasty who ruled Egypt (1501-1516).
He repaired some parts, gave them weapons and soldiers, and repaired some broken parts.
