Southern Lebanon Day Trip: Exploring Sidon, Maghdouche and Tyre

Crusaders Sea Castle

The Sidon Sea Castle was built by the crusaders in the thirteenth century on a small island, connected to the mainland by a causeway, as a fortress of the holy land. It is one of the most prominent historical sites in the port city of Sidon, Lebanon. The castle was largely destroyed by the Mamluks in 1291 and was later restored by Fakhr el-Dine Maan II in the early 17th century. Old prints of the fortress show it to be one of great beauty, but little remains of the embellishments that once decorated its ramparts.

Khan al-Franj

Khan al-Franj is one of Sidon’s main attractions. It was built in the beginning of the 17th century by Emir Fakhreddine II to be a hotel for ambassadors and a center for commercial exchange between Lebanon and France. The hotel soon became a center for literature, religion, history, industry and diplomacy. It became a home for culture and civilization. This is a typical khan with a large rectangular courtyard and a central fountain surrounded by covered galleries.

The Soap Museum is a museum in Sidon specialized in Levantine soaps The soap workshop was originally built in Sidon by the Hammoud family in the 17th century. The Soap Museum traces the history of soap making in the region, its development and manufacturing techniques. Visitors can see a demonstration of how traditional olive oil soaps are made and learn about the history of the "hammam" (bath) traditions. A historical section of the museum introduces artifacts which were found during onsite excavation and which include remains of clay pipe heads dating from the 17th to 19th century as well as pottery fragments. The Museum building is an old soap factory built in the 17th century, although containing parts thought to date back to the 13th century.