Qalʿat el-Gindī - Qalʿat el-Gindī

Qal'at el-Gindi (also Qalat / Qalaat el-Guindi / el-Gundi / el-Jundi, Arabic:قلعة الجندي‎, Qalʿat el-Gindī, „Citadel of the Soldier") is a egyptian Citadel in South Sinai, about 50 kilometers northeast of Raʾs Sudrwho were commissioned by Sultan Saladin was built in the 12th century.

background

The citadel is located near the west coast of South Sinai, about 50 kilometers northeast of Raʾs Sudr.

sultan Saladin (1137 / 1138–1193) placed the order around 1185, here at a strategically important position on an ancient trade route, the Sue With Aqaba united to build a citadel to prevent a possible advance of the Crusaders over Sinai. The citadel is located on a steep table mountain that rises 285 meters above the surrounding area (645 meters above zero). On the north side the rock is so steep that the fortress cannot be taken from this side.

It started in the month of Raǧab 581 AH (1185 AD) with the construction of a mosque and a cistern. The water came from the ʿAin Sudr spring 5 kilometers away. A building inscription in the fortress names the client Saladin, the builders and the completion of the work in the month of Ǧumādā ath-thānīya 583 AH (1187). The citadel was built by Ibrāhīm ibn Abī Baḥr and his son. The citadel was not used because the crusader armies had already been defeated.

The citadel was later forgotten and was rediscovered in 1909 by the French scientist Jules Couyat Barthoux (1881-1965).

On July 28, 2003 the application was made to this citadel and the citadel on the island Gazīrat Firʿaun to be declared a Unesco World Heritage Site.^[1]

getting there

There is no public transport to get to the citadel. You have to rent a taxi or pickup for this.

The journey takes place via Raʾs Sudr across the coastal road. In the north of the village of Abū Ṣuweira (Arabic:أبو صويرة), Which is about 4 kilometers southeast of Raʾs Sudr, one branches off at 29.56519432.751076Branch to the Qal'at el-Gindi citadel1 29 ° 33 '55 "N.32 ° 45 ′ 4 ″ E to the northeast onto the Raʾs Sudr - Ṣadr el-Ḥeiṭān runway. After about 50 kilometers you will reach the citadel, which is about 600 meters north of the road.

mobility

The ascent and exploration of the citadel must be done on foot.

Tourist Attractions

The 29.8512633.130121 citadel(29 ° 51 ′ 5 ″ N.33 ° 7 '48 "E) has the shape of an irregular rectangle, was built from limestone blocks and measures about 150 meters from northeast to southwest. It is surrounded by a ditch about 6 meters wide. The fortress wall is two meters thick and has numerous square and round bastions. On the south side there is a monumental entrance gate, the keystone of which bears the name of Allah.

In the area of ​​the inner courtyard there is a mosque, the accommodations for the soldiers and three underground cisterns. The accommodations were partly driven into the rock and have vaulted ceilings.

kitchen

Food and drinks must be brought along.

accommodation

Accommodation can be found in Raʾs Sudr or Sue.

Individual evidence