Margat Castle

About this place

Margat Castle, known in Arabic as Qalat al-Marqab, is a medieval fortress on a volcanic hill near Baniyas, about 2 km from the Mediterranean coast. It was one of the major strongholds of the Knights Hospitaller in the Crusader era, and its name means castle of the watchtower, for its view over the sea and coastal road. The castle stands about 360 metres above sea level. Muslims first fortified the site in 1062, and it passed between rival powers until the Hospitallers took it and enlarged it. The Mamluk sultan Qalawun retook it in 1285 after a 38-day siege in which miners dug tunnels under its walls, and he repaired it instead of destroying it because of its position. Restoration began in 2007, and the 2023 earthquake damaged it. You enter through a stone gate into vaulted passages, then walk among walls and towers of black basalt and pale stone, the largest being the huge round keep. From the walls you see the Mediterranean, the coast and green villages around you, finest on a clear morning. Baniyas is about 3.5 km away in a straight line, and Tartus about 30 km. Wear comfortable shoes and take care, as the ground is uneven and some edges are unfenced. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Syria, and British consular help is not available there, so check official guidance before making any plans.