Whenever the word "citadel" is mentioned, the first thing that normally springs to mind is the Citadel in Cairo, built by the most famous Abbasid ruler Salaheddin as a fortification for military garrisons protecting Fustat. However, this is not the only citadel in Egypt. Join Mohamed El-Hebeishy as he discovers another citadel, not in Cairo but in Qusseir south of Hurghada on the Red Sea. The Citadel, or Fortress of Qusseir, was built by order of the Ottoman sovereign, Sultan Selim at the end of the 16th century. Qusseir at the time was a vital trading port, in addition to being one of the main Red Sea ports that served Muslim pilgrims bound for Mecca. Hence, a fortress to protect Qusseir was very much needed. The strategic location of Qusseir on the Red Sea and its proximity to the Nile heightened the curiosity of many invaders. During the French invasion of Egypt, Napoleon Bonaparte managed to occupy the city in May 1799. In August of the same year, British warships pounded the fortress, causing considerable damage to its structure. Mohamed Ali Pasha restored much of the fortress while using it as a base for operation against the Wahabis in Hegaz. Qusseir and its most famous fortress continued to flourish up until the inauguration of the Suez Canal in 1869 when all trading ships automatically shifted to the more economical route. That declared the fading of a strategic trading port that once was a key link between the Occident and the Orient. The Citadel of Qusseir is open to visitors; LE2 for Egyptians and LE10 for foreigners. photo: Mohamed El-Hebeishy
