Where is the Qait Bey Citadel?

The geographical location of the Qait Bey Citadel

Qaitbay Castle is located in the north side of the city of Al-Rashid in Alexandria, at an estimated distance of seven kilometers, and the castle is considered one of the largest Egyptian fortresses, it is one of the traces of the Mamluk era that are still present until now, and this castle overlooks the Mediterranean coast, and on the side The northern part of the island of Pharos, specifically at the mouth of the eastern port, and the importance of Qaytbay Castle is that it was one of the defensive means for the Egyptian coasts, in the Mamluk era and the Ottoman era.

Some facts about Qaitbay Castle

The facts of Qaitbay Citadel should be known, including the following:

• The castle covers an area of ​​17,550 m 2.
• The reason for building the citadel was to protect Egypt, especially after the direct Ottoman threats to Egypt, which were a threat to the countries of the Arab world, and this prompted the Mamluk Sultan Qusura al-Ghouri to provide the castle with weapons and equipment appropriate to protect it from dangers.
• It is noteworthy that the construction of the castle began in 882 AH, and completed its construction in 884 AH. The construction was in the era of Sultan Al-Ashraf Abu Al-Nasr Qaitbay.
• The castle was built on the borders of the ancient island of Pharos.
• The castle is 150 meters long and 130 meters wide.
• The outer walls surround this castle, and the walls contain defensive towers. These towers are located in the corners of the outer wall.
• There is a square tower in the main square of the castle, and the tower rises above the ground level a distance of 17 meters, and the length of its base reaches about 30 meters.
• The castle consists of two floors, namely:
  • The first floor: includes the mosque and the defensive corridors of the soldiers.
  • The second floor: contains rooms and halls of the Sultan and leaders, a mill, and a bakery.

History of the Qait Bey Citadel

Qaitbay Castle dates back to the late fifteenth century, and it is a castle built by Sultan Qaytbay in the previous location of the Alexandria Lighthouse. The castle overlooks a magnificent view of the eastern port of the city. Maritime, and this museum displays a number of antiquities dating back to the Romen and Napoleonic naval battles, and in 1882 AD the castle was subjected to some sabotage and destruction, due to the entry of the English occuAl Bahahn to Egypt, and the construction was subjected to a number of cracks and cracks, and in 1904 AD It returned to the Commission for the Conservation of Arab Antiquities restoration and maintenance of the castle.