Category: Historical Sites
Khan al-Saboun Tripoli, or the Soap Khan, is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Built in 1480 by Tripoli’s governor Yusuf Bey Saifah, it originally served as a military barrack for Ottoman soldiers. Later on, the structure was transformed into a commercial khan, where merchants stored their goods on the ground floor and rested […]
Khan al-Khayyatin, also known as the Tailors’ Khan, is one of the most beautiful Mamluk caravanserais in Tripoli. It stands out for its unique architectural design, featuring a long courtyard that resembles a roofed street. Shops line both sides of the passage, and gates on the east and west connect it to the nearby souks. […]
Khan al-Askar is the largest khan in Tripoli, covering nearly 4,000 square meters. It is also known as the Prisoners’ Khan and the Silk Khan. Built during the Mamluk era in the early 14th century, the structure showcases classic Mamluk art and architecture, while Ottoman influences appear in later additions. A section near the Christian […]
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 […]
The Al-Takiya al-Mawlawiyya in Tripoli sits beside the Abu Ali River in northern Lebanon. It stands as one of seven major Mevlevi lodges outside Turkey, alongside those in Cairo, Jerusalem, Damascus, Aleppo, Bosnia, and Cyprus. The lodge became a center of spiritual learning and devotion. It reflected the growth of the Mevlevi Sufi order, established […]
The Castle of Saint-Gilles in Tripoli stands proudly on a high hill overlooking the Abu Ali River and the old port city of El Mina. Built by Count Raymond de Saint-Gilles during the Crusader period, the fortress held a strategic position that dominated both the sea and the valley below. However, its origins may trace […]
