Gibelacar

Gibelacar (), also known by its original Arabic name Hisn Ibn Akkar () or its modern Arabic name '''Qal'at Akkar''' (), is a fortress in the village of Akkar al-Atiqa in the Akkar Governorate in northern Lebanon. The fortress dates back to the Fatimid era in the early 11th century. It was captured and utilized by the Crusaders in the early 12th century until it was captured and strengthened by the Mamluks in the late 13th century. It became the headquarters of the Sayfa clan, whose members, chief among them Yusuf Pasha, served as the governors and tax farmers of the Tripoli Eyalet and its sanjaks from 1579 through the mid-17th century.

==Location== Gibelacar is located in Jabal Akkar, the northernmost slopes of the Mount Lebanon range. It is 27 kilometers south of the Krak des Chevaliers in Syria, at the opposite end of the Homs Gap. Gibelacar is situated on a narrow ridge formed by the two ravines of the Nahr Akkar stream. Though largely ruined, the remains of the fortress extend the entire length of the 200-meter ridge. Its tower, which stands at the southern end of the ridge, is still well-preserved. The site has an elevation of 700 meters above sea level and has a commanding view over the mountain road leading to the fortress.