Byblos Castle

Byblos Castle is a stone fortress in this coastal city featuring thick defensive walls, towers, and a central keep that overlooks the Mediterranean. The structure displays architectural elements from multiple building periods, visible in the varying stonework and construction methods throughout the site.

Crusaders built the fortress in 1103 using local stone, establishing a strategic stronghold along the Levantine coast. Successive occupiers, including the Ottoman Empire, left their mark through structural modifications and reinforcements.

The museum exhibits contain numerous archaeological artifacts from Phoenician, Roman, and medieval periods, illustrating the evolution of Mediterranean civilizations.

The site is walkable but has stairs and uneven surfaces, so sturdy shoes are recommended. Visit early in the morning or late afternoon for the most comfortable experience and better views from the elevated positions.

Roman columns and stones from earlier buildings are incorporated into the fortress walls, showing how successive occupiers reused earlier structures. These layers of material from different periods tell the story of generations building upon the same foundations.