Barsbay Tower, also known as the Lion Tower (Burj es-Sibāʿ), is a small fortress located at the far eastern end of Tripoli’s harbor in northern Lebanon. The tower earned its name from the lion-shaped reliefs that once decorated its façade. These lions symbolized strength and courage in Mamluk art. Built at the end of the fifteenth century, the structure is attributed to Prince Saif al-Din Bersbey. At that time, he was the Mamluk governor of Tripoli who fortified the city’s coastline.
After the Mamluks defeated the Crusaders in 1289 CE, Tripoli remained vulnerable to raids launched from Cyprus and Rhodes. To secure the shore, Bersbey built a series of seven defensive towers along the Mediterranean. Over time, most of them disappeared under modern construction, but the Lion Tower is the only one still standing.
The tower’s architecture combines military strength with elegant Mamluk detail. Its two-storey rectangular structure rises from polished sandstone blocks. The main entrance features a curved arch of alternating black and white stones, a hallmark of Mamluk design. Inside, a large vaulted hall occupies the ground floor, supported by two massive stone pillars and flanked by six side crypts. From there, a narrow staircase leads upward to a spacious multi-vaulted chamber. At its heart, this upper hall contains a small mosque with a mihrab and two arched windows facing the sea.
For visitors, Barsbay Tower presents a vivid link to Tripoli’s Mamluk maritime heritage. It invites you to imagine the watch-posts, the sailors, and the fortress guards who once kept watch over the Mediterranean waves.
