It was built by Sultan Qaitbay (1468 - 1496 AD) on the ruins of the ancient Alexandria lighthouse. This castle is one of the most beautiful Islamic warplanes in the Mediterranean basin. It was built to repel a potential invasion of Ottoman Turks with an area of 17550 m2.
The layout of the citadel is octagonal and has a tower in the north. It is a square shape. Each corner ends with a small round tower that ends at the top of a balcony and contains rooms. The tower's walls have arrow openings. The Ibn Ayas historian notes that there was a seat on the north tower overlooking the sea. A day before entering the port, Inside the castle there is a mosque that is important to the architectural aspect of the oldest known mosque in Alexandria, with an area of 30 m 2.
The castle was composed of soldiers, a bakery, a kitchen and a mill. The castle was neglected during the Ottoman period and was restored during the reign of Muhammad Ali. However, it was destroyed in 1882 and was recently restored by the Supreme Council of Antiquities.