Sidon Land Castle

The Fortress of Sidon is also known as the Fortress of Al-Muizz, named after Al-Muizz Li-Din Allah, the Fatimid ruler who built and fortified it in the mid-10th century on the site of an older fort. In later periods, it became known as the Castle of St Louis, named after the Ninth Crusader King who captured it from the Ayyubids in 1253 and further reinforced it.

The castle is located at the highest point of Sidon on a hill overlooking the old city, the coastline, and the Sea Castle.

The fortress had several towers, some of which are still visible. The most important is a large round tower that remains standing and intact. Parts of the walls are built from stones of varying sizes, some massive, dating back to different restoration periods. The walls exceed 20 meters in height, while the tower reaches approximately 17 meters tall and 14 meters wide. Its walls are more than 1.5 meters thick and feature arrow slits, four of which are visible on the north and east walls.

The tower is located in the center of a semicircular fortress wall and is attached to several rooms with solid limestone stones, whose remains are still visible. Access to the top of the tower is through a large elevated door, with a dark stone staircase resembling a corridor leading to the tower's surface. From this staircase, passages branch off to the castle chambers. It is said that there is a passage connecting this fortress to the Sea Castle beneath the city of Sidon.

The fortifications of Sidon, including this castle, were demolished by the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf in 1291 CE to prevent the Crusaders from returning.

The castle was restored during the reign of Emir Fakhr al-Din the Great, and during the Ottoman period a guard station was established within it. In 1321 CE, the historian Abu al-Fida visited Sidon, admired its castles, and described them in his book Taqwim al-Buldan as a fortified city.

Despite its historical significance, the fortress suffered from decades of chronic neglect. Research and studies remain limited, especially regarding the period before Al-Muizz built the castle. It is believed that the acropolis of the city—either a fort or a temple—existed during the Phoenician era. Earlier excavations, which were not sustained, revealed remnants of a theater. Current and future excavation and study efforts during the rehabilitation phase are expected to shed light on the history of the fortress and the site, revealing discoveries in one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities, dating back nearly four thousand years, and one of the most important Phoenician settlements.