|
|
 |
 |
 |
- Alexandria -
The Citadel of Qaitbay (or the Fort of Qaitbay) ( قلعة قايتباي) is a 15th-century defensive fortress located on the Mediterranean sea coast, in Alexandria, Egypt. It was established in 1477 AD by Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa'it Bay. The Citadel is situated on the eastern side of the northern tip of Pharos Island at the mouth of the Eastern Harbour. It was built on the basement of the famous Alexandria Lighthouse. The lighthouse continued to function until the time of the Arab conquest, then several disasters occurred and the shape of the lighthouse was changed to some extent, but it still continued to function. Restoration began in the period of Ahmed Ibn Tulun (about 880 AD). During the 11th century an earthquake occurred, causing damage to the octagonal part. The bottom survived, but it could only serve as a watchtower, and a small mosque was built on the top. In the 14th century there was a very destructive earthquake and the whole building was completely destroyed. The fragments of the broken Lighthouse constructions were used in the masonry of the Qaitbay Fortress. Historically, it played the role of an important fortress outpost in the Mediterranean and has suffered many conquests and destructions, what caused many restorations and repairs.
After the revolution of 1952 the Egyptian Naval troops turned the building to a Maritime Museum. The biggest restoration work dates back to 1984, when the Egyptian Antiquities Organization made ambitious plans to restore the fort.
Modern view on the Qaitbay Fortress from the Alexandria Bay.
The last photo shows the entrance to the Qaitbay Fortress. In the first row below we see the pictures of the granite arch - the main entrance to the Citadel. The attention is attracted by the different design of the right and left sides of the arch. It is a classic example of re-using of the ancient fragments of the Lighthouse elements during the construction of the Fort. Pictures below are showing the internal rooms of the Fortress.
The fragments of the ancient broken constructions could be seen around the Fortress among the fortification blocks of the Pharos Island.
|
||
 |
 |
 |
