Fort Julien, Medieval fort in Rosetta, Egypt
Fort Julien is a stone fortification on the western bank of the Nile in Rosetta with thick defensive walls and square towers oriented toward the Mediterranean Sea. The structure contains multiple levels and interior spaces that reveal the defensive capabilities of the Mamluk period.
Sultan Qait Bey ordered the fort built in 1470 to protect the region from invasion. It later became known when French soldiers discovered a black granite stone with ancient writings there in 1799, which proved vital for decoding hieroglyphics.
The fort displays features of Mamluk military architecture that blends Egyptian and Islamic building techniques in visible ways. The arrangement of its stone blocks shows how rulers of that era expressed power through construction.
The fort is easily reached by taxi from central Rosetta and works well for visits in the morning or afternoon. The interior spaces can become warm, so bring plenty of water and wear suitable clothing.
Many of the stones used to build the fort came from even older Egyptian buildings and still carry parts of their original hieroglyphic writings on their surfaces. These reused blocks are silent witnesses to several centuries of Egyptian history in a single location.
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