Safed Fortress, Medieval fortress on hilltop in Safed, Israel.
Safed Fortress is a Crusader fortress on a hill in the centre of Safed, at 834 metres above sea level. Its double ring of walls stood 28 metres high, with a moat 15–18 metres deep and 13 metres wide, and seven towers. Excavations have uncovered a pointed Gothic vault, floral-carved columns, and a 25-metre ashlar wall with arrow slits.
The fortress was built during the Crusader period and later controlled by the Knights Templar until Sultan Baybars captured it in 1266 and reinforced its defenses. The structure continued to serve strategic purposes under successive rulers throughout the following centuries.
The Hebrew name Metsoudat Tsfat is simply "Safed Fortress". The hilltop was turned into a garden in 1950, designed by landscape architect Shlomo Oren Weinberg, and holds a memorial to Safed's fallen in the 1948 war. The round Mamluk victory tower and its huge cistern lie beneath the monument at the garden's summit.
The site sits atop a steep hill with uneven pathways, so sturdy footwear is recommended for exploring the grounds. Visitors should allow time to walk through different sections and enjoy the surrounding views from the elevated location.
The Mamluk sultan Baybars added a round victory tower about 60 m high and 35 m in diameter, with a huge cistern cut inside to supply the garrison. Its remains and the water cistern lie beneath the memorial at the top of the HaMetsuda garden.
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