1848 print CITADEL OF RAYMOND DE SAINT-GILLES, TRIPOLI, LEBANON, #18

Print from steel engraving titled Chateau pres de Tripoli, published in a volume of L'Univers Pittoresque, Paris, approx page size 20.5 x 13 cm, approx. image size 13.5 x 9 cm.

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Citadel of Raymond de Saint-Gilles

The Citadel of Raymond de Saint-Gilles, also known as Qala'at Sanjil in Arabic, is a citadel and fort in Tripoli, Lebanon. It takes its name from Raymond de Saint-Gilles, the Count of Toulouse and Crusader commander who started its construction on a hilltop outside Tripoli in 1103 in order to lay siege to the city. Later, Raymond enlarged the fortress, which he named Mont Peregrinus (Mt Pilgrim)

The original castle was burnt down in 1289, and rebuilt again on numerous occasions and was rebuilt in 1307-08 by Emir Essendemir Kurgi.

Later the citadel was rebuilt in part by the Ottoman Empire which can be seen today, with its massive Ottoman gateway, over which is an engraving from Süleyman the Magnificent who had ordered the restoration. In the early 19th Century, the Citadel was extensively restored by the Ottoman Governor of Tripoli Mustafa Agha Barbar.

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