Travel Guide Mseilha

At 3 km after the exit of Batroun, on the right off the motorway of Tripoli, perched on a rocky outcrop surrounded by a creek (the Nahr el-Jaouz, dried up in summer), the little castle of Mseilha still very well preserved, known as the th century, was called «Kalaat Mezsbaheh». It looks like a miniature fortress. To go to the foot of this castle, you must take a bus that connects Beirut to Tripoli and ask the driver to drop you at the castle level which is just a few metres away from the motorway. The current state of the castle dates back to the time of the Amir Fakhreddine, who in 1624 gave the order to build it in order to keep the Tripoli Road during the crusade. At the end of the battle of Hittine, Saladin would have installed a garrison. However, its origin remains unclear, works by the Crusaders or the Arabs? This castle occupied a strategic position on the road between Beirut and Tripoli, bypassing the rocky spur of Ras ech-Chekka.The castle can be accessed by a narrow path carved in the rock. Free and free entry. From the top, there are different halls with their vaults, small staircases, chasms, bunkers and a remarkable defence system. The bridge on the outskirts of the castle is at the same time as the castle and gives it a picturesque air. What a pity that this magnificent castle is abandoned and neglected! In addition, the site is near old quarries and in the middle of garbage. From the motorway that slightly dominates the site, you can make very nice photos of the castle.