Qaitbay Citadel

The Citadel of Qaitbay is a magnificent 15th-century fortress located on the Mediterranean coast of Alexandria, built on the exact site of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria — one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Constructed in 1477 by Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay using some of the fallen lighthouse's stones, this defensive fortress is one of the most important defensive strongholds on the Egyptian Mediterranean coast.

Architecture

The citadel features a main keep surrounded by thick defensive walls, towers, and a moat. Inside, visitors can explore the main tower with its mosque, halls, and passages, as well as a small naval museum. The fortress's strategic position at the tip of the Eastern Harbor provides commanding views of the Mediterranean Sea and the Alexandria skyline.

The Lighthouse Connection

Underwater archaeological explorations around the citadel have discovered numerous ancient granite blocks, columns, and sphinxes believed to be from the original Pharos Lighthouse and the royal quarter of Ptolemaic Alexandria. The site thus represents a powerful connection between ancient and medieval Alexandria.