Barquq Castle (), also known as the Younis al-Nuruzi Caravansari or simply Khan Younis, was a Mamluk-era fortified mosque and caravanserai. It was one of the most important Mamluk strongholds in the region. The city of Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip takes its name from this building, which is from the Egypt–Gaza border. It lies along the historical road from Cairo to Damascus, known as the Via Maris. It was damaged by the Israeli army during the Gaza war.
History
Construction An Arabic inscription above the entrance states that the building was constructed in 1387–1388 by , a dawadar of the Mamluk Circassian sultan Barquq. Both Yunus and Barquq are named in three Arabic inscriptions above the building's main gateway, and the building's two common names – Barquq Castle and Khan Yunis – are thus thought to derive from their names. Others have claimed that the latter refers to the prophet Jonah (also Yunis in Arabic). The word castle in the name is a translation of the Arabic word , meaning fortified building, whereas khan is another word for caravanserai and refers to its initial use as a place for travelling merchants.
Mamluk and Ottoman periods It was built as a caravanserai to serve as a center in the middle of the road between Damascus and Cairo, the two largest cities in the Mamluk Sultanate, to protect merchant caravans, pilgrims and travellers. The khan also served as resting stop for couriers of the barid, the Mamluk postal network in Palestine and Syria.
During the 17th and 18th centuries the Ottomans assigned an Asappes garrison associated with the Cairo Citadel to guard the fortress.
It was visited in 1863 by French explorer Victor Guérin, who described it as follows:: "Il doit son nom de Khan Younès, à un château ou khan fortifié, construit, dit-on, sous le sultan Barkouk, par un émir appelé Younès, l'an 790 de l'hégire. D'autres prétendent qu'il faut voir dans ce nom celui du prophète Jonas, que les Arabes appellent Neby Younes. Dans tous les cas, à part la façade occidentale et quelques parties du mur d'enceinte, ce château est aujourd'hui très-dégradé et tombe complétement en ruine. Il formait un grand carré, flanqué, à ses quatre angles, d'une demi-tour ronde. Une mosquée, encore assez bien conservée, y porte le nom de Djama' Soulthan Barkouk; elle est décorée à l'intérieur, et notamment la chaire à prêcher ou member, placée près du mihrab, d'assez beaux morceaux de marbre gris-blanc, provenant, selon toute apparence, d'anciens édifices. Les autres matériaux qui ont servi à bâtir cette mosquée ainsi que tout le reste du château doivent être également en partie antiques; mais ils ont été retaillés. Le dedans de la forteresse est actuellement envahi par des habitations particulières très-délabrées. Elle était autrefois précédée d'une autre enceinte plus vaste, flanquée également de tours, qui est aux trois quarts démolie."
Gottlieb Schumacher visited it in 1886:
Modern period Dimitri Baramki wrote a study on the building entitled "Report on Khan Yunus" in the 1930s, which was held in the archive of the Palestine Archaeological Museum (today the Rockefeller Archeological Museum).
By the mid 20th century, much of the building was in ruins, but the front façade, gateway and mosque with its minaret were still standing.: "Nowadays the Khan is almost demolished, but the front part, which consists of the façade including the gateway and the Mosque with its minaret still stands."
During the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, hundreds of historic sites were damaged or destroyed. The ongoing nature of the conflict makes it difficult to visit sites and evaluate damage and in January 2024 the status of the site was unknown; the following month +972 Magazine reported that Barquq Castle had been damaged when the area was attacked. The Israeli news site Ynet also reported damage to the Castle. The historic centre of Khan Yunis was more severely targeted than in previous conflicts, and as a result significant damage was caused to historic sites including Barquq Castle. UNESCO is evaluating the impact of the conflict on cultural heritage sites using remote analysis; they included Barquq amongst 157 sites with verified damage as of February 2026.
Area
The castle was initially square, with sides measuring about and covering an area of . Each corner had a round tower. The main entrance was in the north-west facing facade.
The castle consists of two floors and a mosque for prayer.
Gallery
Inscriptions LocationImages Summary Arabic Translation Left and right side of the gateway, with blazons above Name of the Sultan during whose reign the Khan was built بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ذلك فضل الله يؤتيه من يشاء والله ذو الفضل العظيم أنشأ هذا الخان في أيام سيدناومولانا السلطان الملك الظاهر سيف الدنيا والدين ابي سعيد برقوق خلد الله سلطانه وشد بالصالحات أركانه.أوقفه المقر الشريف العالي المولوي الاميري الزعيمي السفيري الشرفي ظهير الملوك والسلاطين والفقراء والمساكينأمير المؤمنين التقي يونس النوروزي الدوادار مولانا السلطان الملك الظاهري أعز الله تعالى أنصاره وضاعف جزاءه In the name of the most merciful God. This is the free grace of God, he bestoweth it on whom he pleaseth and God is endued with great beneficence. This public caravanserai was founded in the days of our lord,And master the sultan al-Malik az-Zahir Saif ad-Dunya wa'd-Din Abi Sa'id Barquq, may God make his sultanate eternal and keep him firmly established in good works,And was made a waqf by his noble and high excellency our lord, the Amir, the chieftain, the envoy, Sharaf ad-Din, protector of kings and sultans, known for his love for the poor,The pious Amir Yunis an-Nawruzi, the Dawadar of our lord the sultan al-Malik az-Zahir, may God the exalted make his victories glorious and multiply his reward"Blazons: upper field "Barquq", middle field, "Azza li-Mawlana As-Sultan Al-Malik Az-Zahir", lower field "Azza-Nasruh". Top of the gateway in the tympanum Fifth line gives the date of construction أقول والحق له نورق يقوم في النفس مقام الدليل أن له العرش سبحانه قد عضد الملك بأكفى كفيلفالملك الظاهر بحر الندى أبي سعيد ذي العطاء الجزيل فأصبحت مصر به جنه وأهلها في لهو ظل ظليلوالهم الله داواداره يونس للخير وفضل جميل أنفق من ملجأه من ماله خانة الله بخان السبيليبغي به الأجر وحسن الثناء عليه طول الدهر في كل جيل لا أمر الله بها دولة ولا حامية من بركات الجليل.وتم الخان لتسع مضت بعد ثمانين بعون الجليل وسبع مئين لذا أرخوا وحسبنا اله ونعم الوكيل. I chant the truth which has splendour and stands s a proof to the soul . That he, praise be to him, the possessor of the throne, has supported kingship a most capable protector.Al-Malik az-Zahir Abu Sa'id, the generous sea, possessor of plentiful bounty. Thus, Egypt has become, through him, a paradise, while its people enjoy their umbrageous shade.Allah has guided the Dawadar Yunis to good deeds. Though this guidance he offered his wealth to establish a caravanserai (Khan) in as-Sabil.All he aimed for was a reward from God and to be praised all the time by generations. May Allah offer him the blessings.With the help of the Almighty he completed this Khan in the year 789 A.H./A.D. 1387 as dated. God will suffice us as he is the most trustworthy. Left side, on entering the gateway, above and between the doorways of the mosque Surah At-Tawbah 17–18. Also names the builder of the Khan. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم انما يعمر مساجد الله من اَمن بالله واليوم الاخر وأقام الصلاة واَتى الزكاة ولم يخشى إلا الله فعسى أولئك أن يكونوا من المهتدينانشأه ووقفه الشريف العالي المولوي الأميري الزعيمي السفيري الشرفي يونس الداوادار مولانا السلطن الملك الظاهري شكر الله عمله وأبلغه مأمله In the name of Allah, the most gracious, most merciful; The Mosques of God shall establish regular prayers, and practice regular charity, and fear none except God. It is they who are expected to be truly guided
See also Destruction of cultural heritage during the Gaza war List of archaeological sites in the Gaza Strip
References Citations
Bibliography
External links
Citadelle de Barqūq à Khān Yūnis (in French), part of Gaza, inventaire d’un patrimoine bombardé