Approaching Nimrod Castle from a distance allows you to see how imposing it truly is. Located in the northern region of the Golan Heights at an altitude of 815 metres above sea level, it was once the primary defence for this portion of the road from Tyre to Damascus. The walls are not only imposing, but the thought of attacking up the very steep slopes is quite daunting.

Nimrod is a large and well preserved fortresses in the Middle East and has survived many battles, being only truly damaged by earthquake.

Approaching Nimrod:

Without siege engines this was a difficult fortress to conquer. The terrain prevented large machines of war to approach the walls:

The fortress has a long and narrow structure to fit the topographic area upon which it sits. Its width varies from 50 – 150 metres and its length is approximately 450 metres. The walls are tall and thick – sitting high on the face of steep hills and cliffs making it virtually impregnable without siege engines.

 History: 

After the battle at Horns of Hittin (1187), the Crusaders lost most of their hold on the Territory of the Land of Israel. Salah-a-Din commanded the army in the fight against the Crusaders, He and his troops systematically destroyed the fortresses which fell into their hands. The Crusaders attempted to return to the Holy Land and retake the lost ground. They were only able to take and hold the lands on the Mediterranean coast and Galilee.

Kaiser Frederick II arrived in the Holy Land in 1227. Sultan el-Kamal (nephew of Salah-a-Din) feared the Crusaders would attack Damascus. He initiated the building of Nimrod Castle in the same year in order to protect the road to Damascus. When the danger had passed he expanded the fortress on the westward side. Construction was completed in 1230.

In 1253 the Crusaders attempted to conquer the fortress to no avail. The Mongol invasion of Syria and the Holy Land in 1260 brought about the destruction of the fortress. It was rebuilt in 1275 by the governor appointed by the Sultan of Mameluke.

After the Crusaders were ejected from the Holy Land in the end of the 13’th century the fortress fell into disrepair and was eventually used as a prison in the 15’th century and finally abandoned. Damage seen today happened during an earthquake.

A tower entrance:

A typical firing position from within a tower:

A double firing position from within a tower:

Each firing position also allowed one tower to support another tower in event the attackers attempted to scale the walls:  

A look at the interior layout from the top of the first or original Keep:

Water was always important. This fortress had the ability to survive for a long time in event of blockade as there was a gigantic cistern that held massive amounts of water: