In the district of Batroun just 5km before the river
El Jaouz and 5km north of the town of Batroun itself,
there is an enchanting spot to be reached along
a narrow route and over a small bridge, passing
by gardens of banana and orange trees. Then the
visitor is surprised to find himself face-to-face
with a citadel on a rocky buttress, a daring fortress,
clinging to the summit of a huge crag. The little
river El Jaouz flows at his feet. Groups of curious
tourists and holiday-makers come to amuse themselves
and to follow a narrow ramp right up to the very
top of this miniature strong-point, visiting its
halls, corridors and terraces and admiring the bold
defensive disposition of the loopholes.
This fort was chosen
to decorate certain banknotes of ours.
It still stands there proudly, but having lost its
earlier environment. Greedy hands have torn away
the rocks and the steep slopes of the valley, leaving
only a gaping quarry.
The new highway passing through the valley is a
bare sixty yards away, depriving this one-time watchdog
of the pass of its protecting role. But one is always
somewhat taken aback when going back and forth between
Beirut and Tripoli to see suddenly soaring before
one this heroic relic of troubled times.
Moussaïlaha is fifty kilometers from Beirut
and the little fortress was conceived to keep guard
over the road between Batroun and Tripoli, after
the coastal road following the shore round the famous
Prosopon Plateau of Hamet and Deir Nouriyeh two
hundred meters high had fallen into the sea during
the sixth century after Christ. But the present
little fort does not seem to be more than three
hundred years old, going back only to the early
eighteenth century. The maze of interior corridors
multiplying the angles of view and the carefully
studied placing of the loopholes for attack or defense
were inspired by the medieval constructions of the
age of longbows and crossbows with their arrows
and bolts. Nothing is recorded of memorable deeds
that the fortress might have occasioned to defend
the pass or protect against an invader.
For those who are curious or interested in the military
art of past times, a visit inside is well worth
the while. Travelers of the 17th century such as
d’Arvieux in 1660 and de la Rogue in 1690 who passed
through this value make not the slightest mention
of the fortification, although they most certainly
must have seen it had it been there. Those of the
19th century however went into ecstasies about its
uniqueness and originality and its intelligent placing.
- Al Msaylha Citadel: >> View
Movie << (2007-11-01)
