Bani Qahtan Castle

Bani Qahtan castle (Arabic: بني قحطان‎) is found in the Syrian Coastal Mountains near Latakia city, 40 km far from it.

Bani Qahtan Castle
Latakia Governorate, Syria
Bani Qahtan Castle
Coordinates35°35′N 36°04′E
TypeCastle

History

The castle was controlled by the Byzantine Empire in 1030, then taken by Crusaders led by Tancred in 1111,[1] to be known as Bikisrail.[2] The castle was later mentioned as being a stronghold in the hands of Nizari Ismaili in 1131, who surrendered it to Saladin in 1188.

Structure

The castle is totally damaged and not much remained from it, as its ruins are dated back to the 12th century. It is reached by car road through Baniyas-Jableh road from west. External walls are well preserved, which contain the whole massive of the castle. The castle is situated on a high mountain, accessible only from the south through a narrow piece of land.

Reference
  1. "Qalaat Bani Qahtan". Monuments of Syria. 1 January 2014.
  2. France 2002, p. 91

Bibliography
  • France, John (2002), Western Warfare in the Age of the Crusades 1000-1300, Routledge, ISBN 9781135365066.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.