Crusader Castle Belvoir (כוכב הירדן‎)

The castle's origins likely date back to the mid-12th century, when a French nobleman named Velos, a vassal of the Prince of Tiberias, erected the structure. In 1168, Belvoir came into the possession of the Knights Hospitaller, who developed it into one of the most formidable fortresses in the Holy Land. Following the devastating Christian defeat at the Battle of Hattin in 1187, the castle garrison withstood an 18-month siege by Saladin's forces. After intense fighting and the collapse of a section of the southern wall, the castle was surrendered without further combat to the Muslims on January 5, 1189, with the Crusaders granted safe passage to Tyre. Between 1217 and 1218, Belvoir, like many other Crusader castles, was razed by Muslim rulers to prevent its potential recapture by the Fifth Crusade. Although Belvoir briefly returned to Crusader hands in 1240 through a treaty, they lacked the resources for reconstruction, and by approximately 1245, the castle was definitively retaken by the Muslims.

The fortress of Belvoir is located near Gesher in the Northern District (Hatzafon) of Israel, at an elevation of approximately 302 meters above sea level.

Today, the ruins of the Crusader castle of Belvoir are open to visitors and accessible as an Israeli National Park. The imposing remains of the nearly square complex, with its concentric rings and deep moat, still bear witness to its former strength.

• Ancient City of Scythopolis (Ancient Buildings), approx. 10.5 km away
• Ancient City of Gadara (Ancient Buildings), approx. 16.2 km away
• Ancient City of Pella (Ancient Buildings), approx. 18.4 km away
• Ancient City of Tiberias (‏טבריה‎, ‏طبرية‎) (Ancient Buildings), approx. 20.2 km away