Citadel of Tartus

Also known as Tortosa Citadel, Crusader Castle of Tartus

The largest and most heavily fortified of the County of Tripoli's coastal strongholds. Crusaders first besieged the city in 1099 but lost it shortly after; Raymond IV of Toulouse retook it in February 1102 after a fortnight's siege. Around 1165 the Knights Templar assumed guardianship and rebuilt the castle on a grand scale, with two concentric defensive walls, eleven towers, a lancet-windowed chapel, and a postern gate that allowed the harbour to resupply the garrison directly. The citadel withstood Saladin's assault in July 1188 and Mamluk sieges by Baibars in 1267 and 1271. After the fall of Acre in May 1291, the Templars held on for another three months and finally evacuated to nearby Arwad island on 3 August — the last mainland Crusader garrison to leave the Levant. Today only foundation masonry and fragments of the inner enceinte remain, embedded in the modern town.

Coordinates: 34.8936°, 35.8848°

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