Next to the fishing port of Houmt
Souk, the main town of Jerba, this imposing defensive
monument was built in 1289 by Roger de Loria,
admiral of Aragon and Sicily, on the site of a
Roman fortification whose vestiges were reused
in the construction of the fort. The latter was
remodelled in the XVth century, reinforced in
1557 by Dragut and given its present configuration
by a Spanish garrison of 6000 soldiers who came
in 1560 to chase the Turkish pirates from the
island before being exterminated in the same year
by the Turkish pirate.

The borj is rectangular shaped and flanked by
round and square towers. A drawbridge spanning
a moat leads into the fort. The front door gives
into a vestibule defending the access to the inner
courtyard enclosing the vestiges of garrisons
that have successively occupied the place since
antiquity. An antiquarium has been fitted into
one of the rooms and contains various objects
found on the premises as well as explanatory panels.
The wall walk provides a magnificent view over
the surrounding area and the open sea.
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