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Templar Strongholds in the Holy Land


T he map below displays the Templar castles and major cities in the Holy Land. Below the map there is a table of data on Templar installations, for which you can donate material if you have any. Use the Guest Book to mail me your tasty tidbits of info.

D uring all of Templar history, the Order never held more than 10 castles or strongholds at any one time. This is different from the Hospitallers, who had seven or eight castles already in the 1160's, and had a total of 56 strongholds in Latin Syria.

P lease note that the list of strongholds has more castles than actually shown in the map. The map is in the works, and I must ask you to return later for the updated map.




P lease note that the spelling of names varies between sources.
Stronghold Location Date Notes
Ahamant (Amman?) Northeast of the Dead Sea, "Lying between Jordan on the border of Arabia" 1166-? n/a
Arima (Aryma) County of Tripoli before 1152-? A castle or fortified town
Arsuf Northern part of the Principality of Antioch 1213?-1266 A castle or fortified town
'Atlit (Chateau Pelerin or Castle Pilgrim) A promontory between Jaffa and Haifa 1218-1291 See 'Atlit the Impregnable.
Baghras (Gaston) Frontier zone of the March of Amanus between Syria and Asia Minor 1131 (?), lost in 1188 to Saladin, back in Templar hands 1216-1268, burned and abandoned by Templars 1283 See Baghras.
Banyas data pending 1129-1132, again in 1140-1164 data pending
Beaufort (Belfort) Northeast of Tyre 1260-1268; held as a fief Available for attack only from the south and west, because there is a 300 m precipice east and north.
Caco (Qaqun) South of Acre before 1187-c. 1265 Minor fort
Cafarlet South of Acre 1232-1291 Minor fort
Calamella in the Amanus Mountains in the north 1140?-1266 A castle or fortified town
Casal des Pleins close to the coast WNW of Jerusalem 1187-? A minor fort
Castrum Arnaldi halfway to the coast WNW from Jerusalem by 1160-? A castle or fortified town
Chastel Blanc Northeast of Tripoli ?-up to 1271 data pending
Chastellet North of Lake Tiberias 1178-? A castle or fortified town
Chastel Rouge Northeast of Tripoli up to 1271 data pending
Chilvan Kale in the Amanus Mountains in the north ?-1268 A fort or minor stronghold
Darbsak Frontier zone of the March of Amanus between Syria and Asia Minor 1136-37 until 1188, when taken by Saladin A minor castle, for whose defence the Templars fought one of their most valiant battles.
Doc close to Acre, SSE of it 1201-1263 A minor fort
Gaza Extreme south tip of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, at the edge of the Sinai Desert 1149, feudal lordship and castle awarded to Templars in 1244 data pending
La Roche Guillaume Amanus Mountains, Northern Syria 1140-1266 data pending
Le Chastelet Frontier castle at Jacob's Ford Built 1178, reduced to ashes by Saladin 1179 data pending
Le Destroit Coastal fort south of Acre before 1187-1220 data pending
Le Feve Close to Nablus At least held in 1187 during the Battle of Nazareth data pending
Le Petit Gerin SSW of Lake Tiberias before 1184-? A fort
Le Toron des Chevaliers halfway between Jerusalem and the coast, WNW of the town 1170 data pending
Maldoim close to the WNW shore of the Dead Sea c. 1170-? data pending
Merle coastal fort south of Le Destroit c. 1187-1265 data pending
Quarantene Northern tip of the Dead Sea 1170-? data pending
Roche Roussel Frontier zone of the March of Amanus between Syria and Asia Minor 1136-37 A minor castle
Ruad An island 2 miles off the coast of Tortosa Up until 1303 From 1291 the single Templar installation in Palestine until 1303, when it was evacuated.
Safed (Safad, Saphet) East of Acre some fort 1163, rebuilt 1240, held until -1266 Cost a fabulous 1,100,000 Saracen besants to construct (a knight lived in Acre for 500 a year); Had 1,700 people to feed in normal times and 2,200 in times of war; 50 knights, 30 sergeants, 50 Turcopoles, and 300 archers and crossbowmen. From "De constructione castri Saphet", in Riley-Smith.
Saffran South of Acre, halfway between Sea of Galilee and the coastline post 1272-1291? data pending
Sidon Coastal castle between Tyre and Tripoli 1260-1291 data pending
Tortosa On the coast north of Tripoli 1152 See Tortosa.
Trapesac Amanus Mountains before 1140?-? Apparently a largish castle.


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