MSEILHA CASTLE

Perched on a rocky outcrop near a creek (Nahr el-Jaouz: the Noyer river, which is drained in the summer, is the small castle of Mseilha, known as the th century «Kalaat Mezsbaheh». He was also known at the time of crusaders like Puy du Constable or Pass Saint-Guillaume.

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 but due to its strategic position, the site should probably be a fortification well before Fakhreddine. For some researchers, the site has similarities with the Cathar castles! 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 - narrow path carved in the rock. Free and free entry. The site is not monitored. From the top, there are different halls with their vaults, small staircases, chasms, bunkers and a remarkable defence system. The corridors and rooms are obscure, only the archères give a little light. These tirs are mainly concentrated at the south-west corner of the castle. Some researchers suggest that remnants of a chapel lie at the southeast corner of the site.

The bridge on the outskirts of the castle is the same as the castle and gives it a picturesque air. What a pity that this magnificent castle is abandoned and neglected! Moreover, the site's environment is somewhat disfigured by wild quarries and landfills.