# Beirut Castle

- **Country:** Lebanon
- **Coordinates:** 33.899444, 35.506944
- **Location Text:** (demolished)

Beirut Castle was a significant Crusader fortress situated in the heart of downtown Beirut, Lebanon. Originally constructed between 1183 and 1185 under the leadership of Raymond III of Tripoli, the structure was built to reinforce the city's defenses following an unsuccessful siege by Saladin. The castle played a pivotal role in the region's turbulent medieval history, changing hands multiple times between Crusader forces and Muslim armies. After being captured by Saladin in 1187 and later retaken by the Crusaders in 1197, it underwent substantial refurbishment under John of Ibelin. Although Mamluk troops partially demolished the fortifications upon capturing the city in 1291, Sultan Barquq erected a new tower on the site in the late fourteenth century, ensuring the location remained a strategic military point for centuries.

The fortress endured further conflict and modification through the Ottoman era, including damage from a British naval bombardment in 1840 during the Egyptian-Ottoman War. By the late nineteenth century, the castle stood as a prominent landmark known as the land castle, distinct from a nearby sea castle tower. However, its ultimate demise came not from war but from urban development. Between 1889 and 1895, the entire structure and its underlying promontories were completely flattened to facilitate the expansion of the Port of Beirut. This demolition allowed for the construction of a new road and railway line, transforming the historic site into a bustling commercial zone for bulk trade.

Today, no visible above-ground structures of Beirut Castle remain, as the site was repurposed into what is now Avenue Charles Helou. Despite its total destruction during the port modernization efforts, the castle's legacy persists through archaeological discovery. Excavations conducted in 1995 within the Beirut Central District successfully uncovered remnants of the castle's basement, providing physical proof of its former grandeur. These findings offer valuable insights into the medieval topography of the city and confirm historical accounts regarding the fortress that once dominated the Beirut skyline for over seven hundred years.

![Photo of Beirut Castle](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Beir%C3%BBt%20castle%20colored.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beirut_Castle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)