The Citadel of Qaitbay in Alexandria is considered one of the most important defensive forts not only in Egypt but also along the Mediterranean coast and an important part of Alexandria's fortification system in the fifteenth century.
The goal of creation
Around 1480, the Circassian Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaytbay fortified the city as part of coastal defenses against the Turks who were threatening Egypt. He built a fortress and built a mosque in it. The castle was in operation for most of the Mamluk, Ottoman and modern eras, but after the British bombing of Alexandria in 1882, it went unnoticed. It remained neglected until the twentieth century, when it was restored several times by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Founder of the castle
The founder of Qaitbay Citadel was a Circassian Sultan whose name was Ashraf Abu Ansar Saif al-Din Qaytbay al-Jirkasy al-Zahiri, he was one of the Mamluks. Al-Ashraf Barsbay bought him and stayed with him until Ashraf Barsbay died. Then Sultan Jamukmaq bought him and gave him freedom later. Qaitbay held various positions. He became commander of the army and upon deposing the Sultan, he appointed Qaytbay as Sultan. He was one of the most important and prominent Mamluk sultans
Qaitbay was a patron of art and architecture, building many useful buildings in Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. In Egypt, about 70 restored buildings are attributed to him, including mosques, schools, offices, public wells (Sabil), elementary schools (traditional class), and military buildings such as Alexandria Citadel and Rasheed Castle. These castles were built to protect northern Egypt, mostly against the Ottomans, whose power was increasing in the Mediterranean.
Qaghas Al-Ashqi is the architect of the castle. Qaghas was intelligent and modest, and he was the supervisor of many constructions during Qaitbay's time.
History of the castle through the ages
Sultan Qaytbay traveled to Alexandria with some other Mamluk princes and visited the site of the old lighthouse, and during this visit he ordered the construction of the castle.
Mamelukes
In the Mamluk era, due to its strategic location, the castle was well maintained by all the rulers who came after Qaytbay, including Sultan al-Ghuri.
Ottomans
When the Ottoman Turks invaded Egypt, they took care of this unique castle. They used it as a shelter as they did with the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo, Damietta Castle, Rasheed, Burullus, and Arish. It was well maintained and installed by infantry, artillery, group of drummers, trumpeters, masons and carpenters.
With the weakening of the Ottoman army, the castle began to lose its military significance. , Fell into the hands of French soldiers, the French found some crusaders' weapons from the Louis IX period.
The era of Muhammad Ali
When Muhammad Ali Pasha took over the rule of Egypt in 1805, he rebuilt the old citadel, restored and repaired the outer walls, and equipped the castle with the latest weapons of that period, especially coastal cannons. Muhammad Ali and his reign are considered the second golden age of the citadel.
Urabi revolution
The castle retained the interest of Muhammad Ali's successors until a revolt broke out under the leadership of Colonel Ahmed Orabi. The British fleet bombed Alexandria on July 11, 1882, and damaged a large part of the city, especially in the Citadel area. This attack destroyed the fort and dealt massive damage. The north and west façades were severely damaged by artillery explosions, which directly targeted the building. The western facade was completely destroyed, leaving a large hole in it.
The era of King Farouk
The castle then remained neglected until 1904, when the Ministry of Defense returned the upper floor. King Farouk wanted to convert the castle into a royal holiday home, so he ordered a quick restoration.
The modern era
After the 1952 revolution, the Egyptian military converted the building into a naval museum. The greatest restoration work dates back to 1984, when the Egyptian Antiquities Authority laid out ambitious plans to restore the castle.
Construction of the castle
The castle has a square shape and its area is about 150 mx 130 m. It has an excellent location as it is surrounded by the sea on three sides, this castle consists of walls and the main tower in the northwestern side, and the walls are divided into an inner wall and an external wall,
The inner wall includes soldiers' barracks and weapons stores, and the outer wall includes defensive towers on the four sides that rise to the level of the wall, with the exception of the eastern wall, which includes defensive openings for soldiers.
The main tower forms a large square-shaped castle, its dimensions are 30 * 30 meters and its height is 17 meters. The castle contains three square floors, and the four corners of the tower contain semi-circular towers ending on top with prominent balconies.
These towers are higher than the main tower and include openings for throwing arrows at the enemies, and the first floor contains the Citadel Mosque, which consists of a courtyard, four iwans and several defensive corridors to allow soldiers to pass during the defense of the castle, and this mosque had a minaret, but it happened recently.
As for the second floor, it contains several corridors, halls and internal rooms.
As for the third floor, it contains a large room, which is the seat of Sultan Qaytbay, in which he used to sit to see the ships on the day's march from Alexandria. When Sultan al-Ghuri ruled, he renewed the castle and increased the number and efficiency of its garrison.
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