The underground halls and passages of the Crusader city are among the best-preserved Crusader structures anywhere in the world. The Knights Hospitallers ruled this port from 1104 until 1291 when the city finally fell to the Mamluks, and the scale of what they built is extraordinary — a self-contained city beneath the present one, with refectories, halls, a great crypt, and a secret tunnel running to the sea.
The main complex includes the grand dining hall of the knights, the crypt of Saint John, and the Knights' Hall with its restored vaulting. The exit tunnel, recently excavated and reopened, runs 350 metres to emerge near the harbour — the escape route of last resort. The complex is impeccably presented with English signage. Allow two hours for a thorough visit.