The citadel of Qaitbay in Alexandria

Name: Cairo Top Tours
Address: Egypt - Giza - Al-Ahram St.5th Hassan Said St. from Ahram St Giza P.O. Box 6, Egypt, EG
Telephone: +201022772955
Price range: 40$

Latest Articles

History of Alexandria Governorate

Alexandria Governorate is the bride of the Mediterranean and the second capital of Egypt. It was the ancient capital founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC and was named after him, and the city of Alexandria was the capital of the Egyptian country throughout the Ptolemies, Romans and Byzantines until the Arab conquest in 640 AD.
Muhamed Ali Palace in Shubra

Muhammad Ali Pasha wanted to establish and document his era with a ruling house that would be a turning point between a bygone era and a new era that he planned to be long. So he chose a site on the banks of the Nile in the Shubra area, with an area of 70 acres, extending from the banks of the Nile to Birkat al-Hajj, after he had seized several villages and fiefdoms to build his palace.
Abdeen Palace Museum - Cairo

Abdeen Palace is considered one of the rare historical masterpieces in terms of form and content, as it reflects the luxury and high taste in which the palace was built. It is one of the most important palaces built by the Muhammad Ali Pasha family for Egypt.
The Cemetery of Shatby

Al-Shatby Cemetery is the oldest existing cemetery in Alexandria dating back to the hellenistic age, and it also remains the oldest archaeological site within the city up to date. Alexandria is now regarded as a modern city because earthquakes in the past buried the ancient city's features and caused another city to be built on top of it until it reached its current size.
Roman Emperor Diocletian | Biography

Emperor Diocletian, or Diocletianus, is one of the most famous Roman emperors in the history of the Roman Empire, and he ruled the Roman Empire from November 20, 284 AD until May 1, 305 AD. This emperor was known by many names, including “Diocles” - the name “Diocletianus” was chosen after he ascended the throne and took for himself a crown (a wide band studded with pearls), robes of silk and gold, and shoes studded with precious stones.
Biography of Roman Emperor Trajan

The greatest of the Roman emperors was Emperor Trajan, the second of the Five Good Emperors, who ruled from 96 to 117 AD. One of the Roman Emperors, Marcus Pius Nerva Traianus (53–117 AD), ruled over the enormous Roman Empire between 98 and 117 AD. At the height of the Roman Empire, he is credited for its expansion.

The Citadel of Qaitbey from the outside in Alexandria

The citadel of Qaitbay in Alexandria

05 16, 2023

The Citadel of Qaitbay

In Alexandria, Egypt, on the Mediterranean shore, stands the 15th-century Citadel of Qaitbay, also known as the Fort of Qaitbay. Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa'it Bay, the Sultan, constructed it between 1477 and 1479 AD (882–884 AH). East of the northern extremity of Pharos Island, at the opening of Eastern Harbour, is where you'll find the Citadel.

One of the most significant defensive strongholds along the Mediterranean Sea coast, as well as in Egypt, is the Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria. In the fifteenth century AD, it developed a significant portion of Alexandria's defense system.

On the easternmost point of Pharos Island, the Citadel is located near the eastern harbor's entrance. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, stood where it was erected. After the Arab conquest of Egypt, the lighthouse underwent numerous structural alterations, yet it was operational for many centuries. Around 880 AD, during the reign of Ahmed Ibn Tulun, restoration got underway. An earthquake that struck in the eleventh century damaged the octagonal portion. The top was turned into a tiny mosque, and the bottom, which was only fit for a watchtower, perished. In 1303 and 1323, there were two extremely catastrophic earthquakes that completely destroyed the lighthouse.

The location was fortified in the year 1480 AD by the Circassian Mameluke Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay as part of his coastal defensive structures against the Turks, who were then posing a threat to Egypt. He constructed the stronghold and enclosed it with a mosque. The Citadel remained operational over the most of the Mameluke, Ottoman, and Modern periods; however, it was kept out of the public eye following the British bombardment of Alexandria in 1882. It was ignored until the 20th century, when the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities made multiple restorations.

Al-Ashraf Abou Anasr Saif El-Din Qaitbay El-Jerkasy Al-Zahiry (1468–1496 AD), a Circassian Sultan, founded the Citadel of Qaitbay. He was born approximately in 1423 AD (826 AH). He was a young Mamluke man, not quite twenty years old, who had traveled to Egypt. Purchased by Al-Ashraf Bersbay, he lived with his attendants until the latter's passing. Subsequently, Qaitbay was purchased by Sultan Jaqmaq, who later released him. After then, Qaitbay held a number of positions. He rose to the rank of Assistant Chief of Staff (Atabec Al-Askar) while the Sultan Timurbugha was in power. On Monday, 26th Ragab, 872 AH (1468 AD), Qaitbay was crowned as a Sultan and given the title Almalek Al-Ashraf upon the dethronement of the Sultan.

The Citadel was given particular attention by Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri. He made multiple trips there, bolstering the garrison's numbers and equipping it with a variety of armaments. It featured a sizable prison designed for the princes and statesmen that the Sultan, for whatever reason, excluded from his favor. Qansuh Al-Ghouri journeyed to Alexandria alongside several other princes during the events of the year 960 H.

Share On Social Media:

Egypt Tours FAQ

Read top Egypt tours FAQs

citadel, fortified structure that is often located within a city or town. While designed to protect or subjugate social groups, citadels often played a significant role in shaping culture. The word is from the Latin civitas ( “citizenship,” “the state,” or “city”) via the Italian cittadella (“small city”).

;