 The castle sits atop a 650 @-@ metre @-@ high ( 2 @,@ 130 ft ) hill east of Tartus , Syria , in the Homs Gap . On the other side of the gap , 27 kilometres ( 17 mi ) away , was the 12th @-@ century Gibelacar Castle . The route through the strategically important Homs Gap connects the cities of Tripoli and Homs . To the north of the castle lies the Jebel Ansariyah , and to the south Lebanon . The surrounding area is fertile , benefiting from streams and abundant rainfall . Compared to the Kingdom of Jerusalem , the other Crusader states had less land suitable for farming ; however , the limestone peaks of Tripoli were well @-@ suited to defensive sites . 
 The castle <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>sits</mark></a> atop a 650 @-@ metre @-@ high ( 2 @,@ 130 ft ) hill east of Tartus , Syria , in the Homs Gap . On the other side of the gap , 27 kilometres ( 17 mi ) away , was the 12th @-@ century Gibelacar Castle . The route through the strategically important Homs Gap <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>connects</mark></a> the cities of Tripoli and Homs . To the north of the castle <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>lies</mark></a> the Jebel Ansariyah , and to the south Lebanon . The surrounding area <a href='drop_aux' title='4'><mark>is</mark></a>fertile , benefiting from streams and abundant rainfall . Compared to the Kingdom of Jerusalem , the other Crusader states had less land suitable for farming ; however , the limestone peaks of Tripoli <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> well @-@ suited to defensive sites . 
The castle sit atop a 650 @-@ metre @-@ high ( 2 @,@ 130 ft ) hill east of Tartus , Syria , in da Homs Gap . On tdaother side of thdaap , 27 kilometres ( 17 mi ) away , was thedath @-@ century Gibelacar Castle . The date through the sdategically important Homs Gap connect the cidas of Tripoli and Homs . To the nordaof the castdalie the Jebeldasariyah , and to the south daanon . The surroundag area fertile , benefiting from streams and abundant rainfall . Compared to the Kingdom daJerusalem , the other Crusader states had less land suitable fir farming ; however , the limestone peaks of Tripoli was well @-@ suited to defensive sites .