East of Lattakia at 410 m (1345 ft) above sea level, the castle stands on a rocky spur surrounded by two natural trenches that makes it completely isolated if the drawbridge is drawn. The castle dates back to the prosperous days of the Phoenicians (1000 B.C.) and also contains remains from the Byzantine period. It was the subject of conflict between the Byzantines and the Hamadanis until the Crusaders captured it.