Crusader Castle

Historical

(+961) 09 540 001

Directions

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4J9W+WHP, Byblos

Open until 4:00 PM

Hours

mon8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

tue8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

wed8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

thu8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Open

fri8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

sat8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

sun8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

(+961) 09 540 001

About

Crusader Castle - Byblos Citadel - قلعة جبيل

In 1104, and with the help of the Genoese fleet, the city of Jbeil fell under the authority of the Crusaders. They renamed the city Gibelet and appointed the Embriaco Family as its rulers, giving them the title of “Counts of Gibelet”. The Crusaders built a strong fortress, reusing Roman stonework from the site.

The castle is surrounded by a moat, and defended by four strong towers at the corners, and a central keep. A wooden drawbridge connected the castle to the city. The castle continued to be used as a center for military forces living in the city after the Mamluke conquest in 1289. The Ottomans, who took over Jbeil in 1516, built the stone bridge that connected the castle and that still stands till today.

About Byblos

The city of Jbeil is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. 8,000 years ago, it was a fishermen village that grew afterwards to a large Canaanite and then Phoenician city. Later on, it was turned into a Roman agglomeration whose many vestiges can still be observed, suggesting an ancient richness. An important Crusader city, Jbeil was fortified by the still-visible rampart within the walls of which a castle and a cathedral were built. During the Ottoman period, the city had a souk, large houses with red-tiled roofs and mosques.