Tripoli's castle is built into the southeast corner of the city wall, overlooking the harbor. It is built on the foundations of earlier fortresses. Archeological excavations have found evidence of fortresses dating back to the Roman Empire (2nd-3rd c. AD). The fortress has been added to by each successive generation of Tripoli's rulers, and thus contains a mix of architecture and decoration.
The main complex's existing plan is Ottoman, with a mosque, harem, and many courtyards. The intricate network of paths within the castle reflects the style of winding arcaded streets seen in the old city. The main gateway dates from the 16th century and shows the influence of the Spanish rulers. The structure became known as the Red Castle (Castillo Rojo) from the color it was painted at that time.
In the 1920s, during Italian colonization, the castle was opened as a museum designed by Armando Brasini. British forces occupied Tripoli during World War II, during which time the entire complex began functioning as a museum. In 1948, it was formally named the Libyan Museum Complex. The museum was closed in 2011 due to unrest after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi and the subsequent civil war. It was partially open between 2012 and 2015, when it was closed for rehabilitation. Currently, it is slated to reopen in 2025.
Sources:
Forster, Siegfried. “L’Afrique Des Musées: La Refondation Du Musée National de Tripoli En Libye.” RFI, May 12, 2021. https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20210512-l-afrique-des-mus%C3%A9es-la-refondation-du-mus%C3%A9e-national-de-tripoli-en-libye. Archived at: https://perma.cc/TJV7-SGS7.
Hutt, Antony. 1977. North Africa: Islamic Architecture. London: Scorpion Publications Ltd, 192.
Islamic art and architecture in Libya. 1976. London: Libyan General Committee for Participation in the World of Islam Festival, 72.
Ward, Philip. 1969. Tripoli: portrait of a city. Cambridge, England: The Oleander Press, 75.
