Hospitaller Fortress, Acre

The Knights Templar are better known, but the Knights of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, better known as the Knights Hospitaller, were there, too. Both had fortresses/palaces in Acre. After founding of the kingdom of Jerusalem, Acre became the principle port. When the crusaders returned and controlled the Levantine coast, Acre became the capital. This fortress was well known as a a hospital at the time. Acre was the last holdout by the crusaders against the Muslims.
The Templar fortress is gone, but the Hospitaller fortress remains.
The 1st picture is a model of the ancient city. The Hospitaller palace is toward the bottom. The rest of the pictures are in this castle from the crusades.
The 2nd picture is in the courtyard in the center of the castle. The reconstructed floor hides the wells and pools originally here. I think the round stones on the far side are catapult/ballista ammunition.
The 3rd picture is of citadel halls beneath the upper stories. This is known as the Prisoners Hall. Today, this area houses a museum that traces the history of this castle.
The 4th picture is in the crypt. A number of crusaders are interred here with their tombstones visible.
The 5th picture is in the refectory (literally, a place to restore) or dining room. This is the most lavish of the rooms today.
The last picture is in the so called beautiful hall. This is the largest space here and was where the hospital was located.Leggi altro