The Citadel of Qaitbay is located in Alexandria, Egypt.
Alexandria, known as the “jewel of the Mediterranean,” is home to a plethora of noteworthy sites. The Citadel of Qaitbay, located in Alexandria, is a popular tourist destination. The Citadel of Qaitbay was a strategically significant fortification on Egypt’s Mediterranean shore and on the edge of the Nile.
The Citadel is located in the eastern part of Alexandria’s harbour, near where the Island of Faro used to be. Originally constructed on the site of Alexandria’s famed lighthouse, which was regarded one of the seven wonders of the ancient world until it was destroyed by another earthquake in the 14th century, the Citadel is one of the most impressive structures in the world.
The Citadel of Qaitbay Has a Long and Profound History
To protect northern Egypt from the Ottomans, the Mamluk Sultan “Al-Ashraf Saif Al-Din Qaitbay” imported art and architecture and renovated many buildings, more than 70 buildings, such as madrasahs (Islamic schools), mosques, government offices, public fountains, and the citadels of Alexandria and Rosetta (the city of Rashid).
Qaitbay began construction on the Citadel of Qaitbay in 1477, during the 15th century. When it was part of the Mamluk Empire, it was regarded as a defensive fortification by the Ottomans. The Citadel was also utilised for security and defence when the Ottomans conquered the city.
The Ottoman military was weakened as a result of the French invasion in Egypt, and the Citadel’s military significance was diminished as a result of this. When Muhammad Ali (the king and creator of modern Egypt) reconstructed the Citadel in 18th-century Egypt, the Citadel was also renovated by his successors, who continued to import goods from the Citadel until the Orabi insurrection in 1882.
When the British navy bombed the city of Alexandria in July 1882, the city, particularly the region around the Citadel, sustained significant damage. The Citadel remained abandoned until 1904, when King Faruq I restored it to its former glory as the royal home.
The military personnel took over the building and turned it into a maritime museum in 1952. The Citadel’s major repair project began in 1984, when the Supreme Council of Antiquities outlined plans for the project.
The Citadel of Qaitbay is currently under construction.
The building of the Qaitbay Fort took two years and covered an area of 17550 square metres. Qagmas Al-Eshagy is the architect who designed the fortification. Approximately one hundred thousand dinars were spent on its construction, according to certain estimates. Surrounded by water on three sides, the Citadel is an impressive structure.
The main edifice, a square structure with four circular towers, has three stories. The remnants of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were used to construct the massive wall that surrounds the structure, as well as an inside wall and the main tower. The trek through its yellow corridors, which give the sensation of being in a labyrinth, is a pleasant one to take pleasure in.
Make your travel arrangements with Egypt via travel.
Check out our Egypt holiday packages or Nile cruises between Luxor and Aswan to learn more about the city of Alexandria and other cities that serve as a reflection of the great Egyptian civilisation, and then choose the trip that best suits your interests.
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