Crusader Castle Château Pèlerin

The construction of Château Pèlerin began in February 1218 by the Knights Templar during the Fifth Crusade. The fortress was built on the remains of an ancient Phoenician settlement and was intended to replace the older Le Destroit castle further inland. Many Crusaders, including Walter II of Avesnes, participated in its construction. Despite repeated sieges, such as those by the Ayyubids in 1220 and the Mamluks in 1265, the castle withstood thanks to its design and the possibility of sea supply. After the fall of Acre in 1291 and the collapse of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the Templars retreated to Château Pèlerin. As supplies could only be brought in by sea, they evacuated the fortress between August 3 and August 14, 1291, withdrawing to Cyprus. It was thus the last Crusader fortress on the mainland to be abandoned. Unlike other Crusader castles, Château Pèlerin was not destroyed by the Mamluks and remained well preserved for a long time until it was damaged by an earthquake in 1837 and used as a quarry in 1840. Extensive excavations took place here between 1930 and 1934.

The Château Pèlerin fortress is located in Atlit in the Haifa district, Israel, on a rocky peninsula on the Carmel coast, approximately 8 meters above sea level.

The ruins of Château Pèlerin are now accessible to visitors and can be explored.

• Crusader Castle Le Destroit (Fortress), approx. 1.2 km away
• Crusader Castle Cafarlet (كفر لام‎) (Fortress), approx. 7.6 km away
• Ancient City of Dor (דאר) (Ancient Buildings), approx. 10.0 km away
• Crusader Castle Merle (Tantura, الطنطوره) (Ancient Buildings), approx. 10.0 km away