Saida Land Citadel | Saint Louis Castle

Established on the emplacement of a Fatimid fortress, Qalaat El Muizz, the citadel was erected during the crusade led by the French King Louis IX (popularly known as Saint Louis). Standing 45 metres high, the landmark overlooks the old city and clearly manifests the restoration interventions carried out by the Mamluks and by Emir Fakhreddine II. The vicinity features the Murex Hill, an accumulation of murex shells used by Phoenicians for the extraction of the renowned purple dye. The castle has recently been rehabilitated by the Directorate General for Antiquities (DGA) through a fund from the Italian Government, allowing tourist visits and urban festivities along its spacious front square.