Moussa’s Castle Facts

The Moussa Castle is not a typical castle in any way. It was projected and built by one man, Moussa Abdel Karim Al Maamari.

The Moussa Castle is the product of Moussa’s childhood imagination, and he began its construction in 1968. The castle is a modern structure built to resemble a medieval castle.

Moussa built the castle single-handedly, with occasional help from his neighbors or an odd laborer, a Herculean effort that took many years.

This unique castle contains a wax museum that depicts scenes from the daily life of the people who inhabit Lebanon’s mountainous regions.

Moussa Castle Visitor Information

The castle can be visited every day between 8:00 and 20:00 in the summer months (May – October) and between 8:00 and 18:00 in the winter months (November to April).

The entrance fee is 10000 Lebanese pounds (around $6.5 USD). Children have 50% off.

Moussa Castle Location

Moussa Castle is located near the village of Deir el Qamar, just 5 km away from the renowned Beiteddine Palace.

Moussa Castle Map

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Beiteddine Palace History

The Beiteddine Palace, designed by an Italian architect, was built for Emir Bashir Shihab between 1788 and 1818.

The design of the palace reflects a beautiful mix of Arabic and Italian Baroque styles.

Among its many uses, it served as the Emir’s residence until 1840, as a government residence during the Ottoman occupation, as an administrative office under the French Mandate, and as the summer residence of the Lebanese President since 1943. The palace was declared a Historic Monument after it was restored in 1934.

The upper floor houses the Rashid Karami Archeological and Ethnographic Museum, which contains a miniature replica of the palace to provide visitors with an idea of the structure’s original form.

Since 1985, the palace hosts the Beiteddine Festival, one of the biggest annual music and art festivals in the Middle East.

Beiteddine Palace Location

Address: Beiteddine Palace is situated in the town of Beit ed-Dine, in Lebanon, around 40 km away from the capital city of Beirut. See below the location on the map:

Beiteddine Palace Map

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Qal’at ash-Shqif literally means Castle on a High Rock. The castle was called Beaufort by the Crusaders who took over the castle’s control in the 12th century.

Beaufort Castle History

Beaufort Castle was the stronghold of the Crusaders since its capture in 1139, and its commanding position atop the hill (at a height of 700 meters/2,296 feet) gave it strategic importance.

The castle changed hands from the Crusader, Reginald of Sidon, to Saladin (founder of the Ayyubid dynasty) in 1190. In the 17th century, the Ottomans conquered the castle and destroyed its upper areas. After an earthquake destroyed much of the castle in 1837, it became a quarry and a sheep shelter.

Beaufort Castle is one of the few castles that had an active military role in the 20th century. In 1976 the castle was a base of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and they used it to fire rockets to Israel from there.

The castle was taken over by the Israeli forces in 1982 and was held as an observation post by the Israeli Defense Forces until 2000. During this time the castle was under attack, and it was further destroyed by the Israeli forces before their departure.

Visitor Information

Restoration plans are currently underway. Visitors to the ruins can enjoy a panoramic view of the surrounding area, which includes parts of Syria and Israel.

Qala’at ash-Shqif Location

Beaufort Castle is located in Southern Lebanon, about 1 km S-E away from Arnoun village. See below the location on the map:

Qala’at ash-Shqif Map

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