Sidon Castle

The Sea Castle of Sidon, once a Crusader fort in the thirteenth century, is now a scenic ruin and renowned tourist site in Sidon, Lebanon. The Mamluks largely destroyed the crusader construction, although it was eventually reconstructed in the 17th century. The location now allows visitors to explore the inner courtyard as well as the impressive towers.

Sidon is a city on Lebanon's Mediterranean coast that has been of significant religious, political, and commercial importance throughout its history, which goes back to 4000 BC.

The Crusader Knights of St John of Hospital and Jerusalem erected Sidon Sea Castle in 1228 AD. It was built on a small island in the Port of Sidon and served as a holy land stronghold, with a narrow 80-meter-long roadway connecting it to the mainland.

The castle is made up of two towers that are joined by a wall. Roman columns were employed as horizontal reinforcements in the outside walls, which is frequent in fortifications built on or around former Roman sites. There's also a vast vaulted room with rusting cannonballs and ancient carved capitals.

Since both war and Mamluk destruction have left the castle in a state of half-ruin, and despite efforts to rebuild it in the 17th century, what remains today is sparse compared to the grandeur that Sidon Sea Castle would have once commanded, old illustrations of the castle reveal the true beauty of the once significant building.

It's conceivable that the Phoenician King's palace and several other Phoenician monuments were destroyed by Esarhaddon and natural earthquakes on the island on which the fortress was built. The castle has also protected the city from attacks from within.

Visitors may now take a tour of the castle for roughly £3 per person. It is advised that guests have a tour of the castle. The castle offers stunning views of Sidon and the sea, and the numerous little restaurants around cater to both the eyes and the stomachs of guests.

Location: Sidon, Lebanon.