Qaitbay Citadel

The squat sandstone fort at the western tip of Alexandria's harbour, built on the foundations of the ancient Lighthouse and incorporating its toppled stones into the walls. The citadel is the most recognisable landmark in the city and one of the best Mamluk-era military structures in Egypt.

The fort has three floors, a small mosque inside the keep, and a roof terrace with views over the harbour, the corniche, and the Mediterranean. A small naval museum inside the citadel covers Egyptian maritime history from the Pharaonic era to the modern navy. Allow 90 minutes for the visit. Reach by taxi or the corniche-running tram (route 1). The setting is most atmospheric at sunset, when the citadel's golden stone catches the late light.

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A story
The Lighthouse of Alexandria — one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — stood on this exact spot from the 3rd century BC until a series of earthquakes finally toppled it in 1303 AD. Sultan Qaitbay built the citadel here in 1477, using stones from the collapsed Lighthouse for its foundations. Divers in the harbour below still find Lighthouse fragments — granite blocks, fluted columns, fragments of statues — scattered across the seabed. Many are visible on the underwater archaeological dive.