Burg al-Turfa-txt-1

Two Ayyubid gates to the Northern Enclosure - the EASTERN GATE at the BURG AL-IMAM and the BAB AL-QARAFA at the BURG ALMATAR - are best seen from the upper walls. The Eastern Gate is defended by twin towers, built by Salah ad-Din, and was once approached by a bridge over a 16 meter-wide moat. Within the entrance is an open court, surrounded by inner walls. An attacking enemy, who managed to storm the gate would be at the mercy of the defending archers stationed along the upper ramparts and within the interior chambers overlooking this court. As a further defensive measure, the entrance passage makes a 90-degree bend into an endosed tunnel, protected by a second gate. In 1207, al-Kamil enlarged the towers to almost twice their original size. In the 18th century, they became the residence of the iman (rector) of the Mosque of Sulayman Pasha and are still known as the Burg al-Imam.

The Bab al-Qarafa (Cemetary Gate) is next to the Burg at-Turfa on the southern side of the enclosure. lt is defended by two towers, built by Salah ad-Din. Like the gate at the Burg al-Imam, it once had an inner court and a bent entrance passage. Behind the towers was a large platform. During the reign of al-Kamil, it became the site of the sultan's pigeon post, which gave the towers their collective name, the Bab al-Matar (Flight Tower). In 1501, the Circassian Mamluk sultan, Ganbalat, walled up both the Ayyubid gates of the Northem Enclosure and filled their inner courts with rubble in anticipation of an Ottoman attack.

The two most interesting towers along the walls are the Burg al-Haddad and the Burg at-Turfa, both built in 1207 by al-Kamil. They are easy to reach; the ground level entrances allow you to avoid the rest of the walls if you are short of time or energy.

The semi-circular BURG AL-HADDAD (Black Smith's Tower) encases one of the towers of Salah ad-Din. The original arrow-slits were broken open to form doorways leading to a circular corridor, with a series of radiating outer chambers, built within the masonry of al-Kamil's addition. The chambers allowed a larger number of archers to fire upon a besieging enemy. The ground level of the Burg al-Haddad connects with the inner corridors of the walls and its middle level with the upper ramparts. The top of the tower rises above the walls and contains a two-tiered open platform, with arrow-slits alternating with machicoulis. Many of the arrow-slits were enlarged for cannon by Napoleon's troops who also added the painted "No. 7" found in the tower's lower level. The French numbered all the towers of the Citadel for case of identification and to avoid having to use their strange foreign names.

The square BURG AT-TURFA (Masterpiece Tower) straddles Salah ad-Din's walls. Its southern face projects out from the rest of the fortifications and contains four large chambers for archers. Most of the tower, however, was built behind the walls. This section is filled with central halls and side rooms, which served as command headquarters and barracks. The wooden floors and whitewashed walls date from the British occupation, when the tower was used as a warehouse. The upper platform originally would have had two tiers, similar to those of the Burg al-Haddad. Its present truncated state is the work of Muhammad 'Ali, who converted the tower's upper level into an artillery platform.

(*) Note: Text taken from "The Citadel of Cairo"
by William Lyster.


	Burg at-Turfa ... end of walk ...
	Burg at-Turfa ... end of walk ...	The Citadel, founded by Saladin during the Crusades THE INNER WALLS

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It is possible to walk along the upper ramparts or through the inner corridors of the Ayyubid walls from Sultan Ganbalat's ARTILLERY PLATFORM (north of the Mosque of Sulayman Pasha) to the BURG AT-TURFA, the largest of al-Kamil's square keeps (south of the Carriage Museum). The ramparts are generally in good repair, but there are spots when the going gets a little rough, especially at the BURG AS-SAHRA' and the BURG AL-IMAM. A good pair of walking shoes and a sure foot are advised. The inner corridors of the walls, from the BURG AS-SAHRA' to the BURG AR-RAMLA, are well lit and free from unwelcome surprises, but further south they become dark, uneven and, in places, bat-infested. It is best to stick to the upper ramparts beyond this point.
Two Ayyubid gates to the Northern Enclosure - the EASTERN GATE at the BURG AL-IMAM and the BAB AL-QARAFA at the BURG ALMATAR - are best seen from the upper walls. The Eastern Gate is defended by twin towers, built by Salah ad-Din, and was once approached by a bridge over a 16 meter-wide moat. Within the entrance is an open court, surrounded by inner walls. An attacking enemy, who managed to storm the gate would be at the mercy of the defending archers stationed along the upper ramparts and within the interior chambers overlooking this court. As a further defensive measure, the entrance passage makes a 90-degree bend into an endosed tunnel, protected by a second gate. In 1207, al-Kamil enlarged the towers to almost twice their original size. In the 18th century, they became the residence of the iman (rector) of the Mosque of Sulayman Pasha and are still known as the Burg al-Imam. The Bab al-Qarafa (Cemetary Gate) is next to the Burg at-Turfa on the southern side of the enclosure. lt is defended by two towers, built by Salah ad-Din. Like the gate at the Burg al-Imam, it once had an inner court and a bent entrance passage. Behind the towers was a large platform. During the reign of al-Kamil, it became the site of the sultan's pigeon post, which gave the towers their collective name, the Bab al-Matar (Flight Tower). In 1501, the Circassian Mamluk sultan, Ganbalat, walled up both the Ayyubid gates of the Northem Enclosure and filled their inner courts with rubble in anticipation of an Ottoman attack. The two most interesting towers along the walls are the Burg al-Haddad and the Burg at-Turfa, both built in 1207 by al-Kamil. They are easy to reach; the ground level entrances allow you to avoid the rest of the walls if you are short of time or energy. The semi-circular BURG AL-HADDAD (Black Smith's Tower) encases one of the towers of Salah ad-Din. The original arrow-slits were broken open to form doorways leading to a circular corridor, with a series of radiating outer chambers, built within the masonry of al-Kamil's addition. The chambers allowed a larger number of archers to fire upon a besieging enemy. The ground level of the Burg al-Haddad connects with the inner corridors of the walls and its middle level with the upper ramparts. The top of the tower rises above the walls and contains a two-tiered open platform, with arrow-slits alternating with machicoulis. Many of the arrow-slits were enlarged for cannon by Napoleon's troops who also added the painted "No. 7" found in the tower's lower level. The French numbered all the towers of the Citadel for case of identification and to avoid having to use their strange foreign names. The square BURG AT-TURFA (Masterpiece Tower) straddles Salah ad-Din's walls. Its southern face projects out from the rest of the fortifications and contains four large chambers for archers. Most of the tower, however, was built behind the walls. This section is filled with central halls and side rooms, which served as command headquarters and barracks. The wooden floors and whitewashed walls date from the British occupation, when the tower was used as a warehouse. The upper platform originally would have had two tiers, similar to those of the Burg al-Haddad. Its present truncated state is the work of Muhammad 'Ali, who converted the tower's upper level into an artillery platform. (*) Note: Text taken from "The Citadel of Cairo" by William Lyster.
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