The Citadel of Saladin
(AL-Qalaa)
Saladin began construction of a fortress over Mount Mokattam in a place known as the Dome of the Air (Quopat Al Hawa). But he did not complete it in his life. But completed by Sultan Al-Kamel bin Al-Adel. The first king was the king and took it as king's palace. And it continued so until the era of Muhammad Ali.
In the western side of the castle, there is the door listed above and above it is a writing that refers to the building of this fortress, and it reads: "In the name of God the Most Gracious the Most Merciful, it is the creation of this magnificent fortress adjacent to the Mahrousa of Cairo, The king, the just king Saif al-Din Abu Bakr Muhammad Khalil, the ruler of the faithful, by the prince of his kingdom, and appointed his state, Qaraqush Ibn Abdullah al-Malki al-Nasseri in the year of his seventy-seven".
The door of Mokattam
This section was known as Bab al-Mokattam, adjacent to the tower of Mokattam, which dates back to the Ottoman era. This section was also known as Bab al-Jabal for its supervision on the door of Jabal al-Muqattam.
This section was closed in a period of time and was a rectangular opening worked in a very thick wall in the direction of the south of the tower Mokattam was added to this door in 1200 AH / 1785 m wall with a rivet dating back to the era of Mohammed Yakan Pasha, which was built in this place, which was empty in This time there was a memorial plaque with a text in Turkish in the name of Yakan Pasha and the date of the construction of the door and the palace in 1200 AH / 1785, which has been lost.
And when Mohammed Ali Pasha took over and made renovations in the castle he paved a road from the door of the mountain to his castle in Mokattam and add the ascending skyscraper to the top of the mountain of Mokattam. The length of this road was about 650 meters. Now this road was cut and cut by Salah Salem Road, Misr Helwan Railway, .
The Middle Door (Bab Al wastani)
The name of this section differed but by a large percentage they called it the middle door because it is the middle of the two great religions with the Sultan's monsters, namely the Qaitbay and Diwan Al Ghouri, Some scholars mentioned that it was known as the Middle Door because it separated between the vestibule of the public sea fortress - the new door - and the courtyard where the mosque of Nasser Mohammed bin Qalawun and Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha was located. This tower was known as the Tower of the Tablain(Drummers) because it was located next to the Justice House, Neglected its rule during the reign of Mansour Qalawun until the renovation of the architecture of his son, Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun not to be a house of justice, but to be the Drummers Area and called Tablkhanh and so named this tower name of tower Al tabalin because of its proximity to Tablakhana. Muhammad Ali Pasha renovated this section and the wall that surrounds it, although it is not known the date of the renewal of the door of the Wastani due to the absence of a founding text or a commemorative plaque, but it is likely that it was renewed in 1242 AH / 1826 CE when it was renovated to the door of the castle next door Eastern.
This monumental castle has undergone many historical
events. Its walls witnessed various historical events
during the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods and the time of the French campaign against Egypt in 1798, until Muhammad Ali Pasha ruled Egypt and restored its prosperity and greatness. Sultan al-Nasir Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub was the first to think of building the citadel on the hill of Sawa in 572 AH / 1176 AD, where his minister, Bahaa al-Din Qarqoush, destroyed the mosques and tombs that were present on the sound to build the fortress on it. The workers carved the rock and found an artificial trench The separation of Mount Mokattam from the Sawa increased its immunity and strength.
Salah al-Din dug aWell in the citadel, which the army and the inhabitants of the citadel draw from if the water is prevented from it when it is sealed. It is a marvel of what has been done because the well is etched into the rock at a depth of 90 meters from the level of the castle land, and this requires great effort at the time.
The citadel of SalaDin Ayyubi Cairo is one of the most prestigious war castles built in the Middle Ages. Its location is strategic in the first degree. This site provides defensive importance because it controls the cities of Cairo and Al-Fustat. It also constitutes a high natural barrier between the two cities. The castle and the city are in a state of siege as they will become the last bastion of the sit-in in case if the city falls into enemy hands.
Citadel Doors
Castle door
The inner door of the castle was known as the Citadel Gate. This section separated the castle of the mountain or the fortified military city to the north, and between the castle and the royal city in the south.
Towers Of The Citadel
Al-Muqattam Tower, Al-Safa Tower, Al-Alwa Tower, Kerr Kilan Tower, Turfa Tower, Airport Tower,Al-Mabalt Tower, Al-Maqusar Tower, Al-Imam Tower or Al-Qarafa Tower, Al-Ramla Tower, Haddad Tower, Desert Tower, ٍSquare Tower(borg Moraba).
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Places you should visit in the Citadel:
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The Mosque of EL-Nasser Mohamed (The Mosque with the green dome!)
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The Military Museum
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El-Gawhara Palace
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National Police Museum.