Belvoir Castle, my reconstruction of a big Hospitallers fortress in Israel
About this creation
The Crusader's fortress of Belvoir was located on a hill of the Naphtali plateau, 20 km. south of the Sea of Galilee and about 500 meters above the Jordan Valley.
It was sold to the Order of the Hospitallers in 1168 and they erected a strong concentric castle on the site. Belvoir is another great Hospitallers' stronghold with Krak des Chevaliers (see my other castle).
The fortress of Belvoir served its purpose as a major obstacle to the Muslim goal of invading the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem from the east. It withstood the attack of the Muslim forces in 1180. During the campaign of 1182, the Battle of Belvoir Castle was fought nearby between King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem and Saladin.
Following the victory of the Muslim army under Saladin over the Crusaders at the battle of Hittin, Belvoir was besieged. The siege lasted a year and a half, until the defenders surrendered on 5 January 1189.
The fortifications of Belvoir were dismantled in 1217–18 by the Muslim rulers who feared the reconquest of the fortress by the Crusaders.
In 1240 Belvoir was ceded to the Crusaders by agreement, however lack of funds did not permit them to restore the fortifications and it returned to Muslim control.
During the Muslim period the place was known as Kawkab al-Hawa, meaning "Star of the Winds" representing the strong winds on this hill top. An Arab writer described Belvoir as "set amidst the stars like an eagles nest and abode of the moon".
Belvoir represents my first attempt to build a complete playable castle, and I think I reached this goal: all the castle opens (towers' walls, curtain walls, ceilings, roofs) revealing the interiors with a lot of stairs leading to each castle's level.
If you were a Minifig, you would be able to access ALL the 48 rooms and reach EACH different level.
Belvoir has 3 entrances with porticullis, 12 towers, a barbican and a postern.
It stands upon twenty 48x48 baseplates.
Construction started on November 7, 2010 and finished on December 29, 2010.
I fitted out only few rooms, I need a lot of other Minifig to fulfill all the Castle, so if your Minifigs want to spent some holydays in Belvoir, they are welcome!
I hope you like it, thank you for your comments!
















































































Comments
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I like it |
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December 31, 2012 |
Hey could you tell me what future ideas for castles you might have??? |
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I like it |
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August 14, 2012 |
I love it I love it I love it ITS THE BEST CASTLE I'VE EVER SEEN you sir are a fantastic builder and i wish i could give you $100:000 for the castle |
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I like it |
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June 9, 2012 |
Such a high level of detail and really very beautiful work. First, it isn't gray, and that is nice. Second, it is boxy, but true to life, and it has many features that I love to see in a castle from the chapel to the working gatehouse. As was mentioned in other posts, the playability and extensive detail win this an easy 5. |
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White Knight June 5, 2012 |
This is a dream lego castle, the finest, most play-able, open and accessible ! Just truly superb, and what makes the Castle so good is the fact you have used 2 by 2 bricks for the walls and they are not all exactly the same shade. Looks fashionably old, very realistic. My 500 lego knights would look rather good all over your Belvoir Castle !>.....well done |
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June 4, 2012 |
Massive! Impressive build here, Dude! |
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I made it |
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June 4, 2012 |
Quoting Samuel McNamara
I have to ask, where did get those tall sloping corner bricks?
Hello, after having looked for them a lot of time on Bricklink, I discovered that Lego re-started to produce them in 2010, so I bought 400 parts directly from THE Company. Plus, they were extremely difficult to find on BL and about 2.5 USD each, I get them from Lego at 0.6 USD... SO! |
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I made it |
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June 4, 2012 |
Quoting Samuel McNamara
I have to ask, where did get those tall sloping corner bricks?
Hello, after having looked for them a lot of time on Bricklink, I discovered that Lego re-started to produce them in 2010, so I bought 400 parts directly from THE Company. Plus, they were extremely difficult to find on BL and about 2.5 USD each, I get them from Lego at 0.6 USD... SO! |
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I like it |
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April 6, 2012 |
I have to ask, where did get those tall sloping corner bricks? |
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I like it |
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March 8, 2012 |
I remember the first time I ever saw Krak... My jaw dropped... This is even more amazing! |
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I like it |
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December 31, 2011 |
The design of this great castle is flawless and the details and the interiours are stupendously beautiful. This guy really knows his stuff! |
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I like it |
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October 20, 2011 |
One word WOW!! Very impressive:) |
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I like it |
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September 1, 2011 |
All a could say was wow!!!!! |
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August 15, 2011 |
Great job!!! |
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I made it |
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July 24, 2011 |
Quoting Marc Castle
Realy realy like your castle, also the historic facts. And i think it takes a while to bild it with 2x2 bricks!
Not so much, only one month and half, but I worked on it every day (more or less). Thanks for your kind words |
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July 24, 2011 |
Realy realy like your castle, also the historic facts. And i think it takes a while to bild it with 2x2 bricks! |
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I like it |
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July 23, 2011 |
WOW very realstic
One of the most things I like in your work that there are a lot of details
Perfect work |
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July 9, 2011 |
Excellent ce château, il est très complet et merveilleusement bien réalisé. Du super boulot ! |
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I like it |
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June 16, 2011 |
Truly remarkable! Terrific job of utilizing yellowing white bricks into an authentic castle wall look! A breath of freshness from copious gray castles! |
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I like it |
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June 15, 2011 |
Splendido castello,chissà quanto lavoro!!
Un caro saluto
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June 15, 2011 |
Very detailed, love the arrow slits and gravesite. |
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I made it |
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May 24, 2011 |
Quoting Case Evanson
If my minifigs spent their spring vacation at belvior castle would they be returned?
Ehum... probably not, especially if they found that the castle doesn't exist anymore! ;-) |
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I like it |
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May 23, 2011 |
If my minifigs spent their spring vacation at belvior castle would they be returned? |
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I made it |
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May 23, 2011 |
Quoting cyberfrank 2010
je veux dire...je croyais en avoir vu plutot...ton systeme de paneaux amovibles...? genial!!! a oui je crak! tes travaux? il s me font presque regretter aller dans le futur! je crois que je veux etre le PREMIER!!! a prendre la machine a aller dans le temps...est ce possible? svp,,pitie? lol! donnes des nouvelles stp!!1
Hello, wow, je crois que tu es le plus enthousiaste de mes fans !!! Merci !!!
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May 23, 2011 |
je veux dire...je croyais en avoir vu plutot...ton systeme de paneaux amovibles...? genial!!! a oui je crak! tes travaux? il s me font presque regretter aller dans le futur! je crois que je veux etre le PREMIER!!! a prendre la machine a aller dans le temps...est ce possible? svp,,pitie? lol! donnes des nouvelles stp!!1
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May 23, 2011 |
krak guy...je comprends ton nom...je craque pour sur!!!je fais une ville, futuriste, avec tout! aqueduc, electricite, ecolo, tout les services...je demande au monde de prepare leurs vacances, et propose du coop moc story!!!...wow! tu fais aux chateaux ce que je fais a city!...sans s en parler!...quelle piece...FANTASTIQUE!!! incroyable! magnifique! ton style...? OUBLIE CA !!! j en ai vu des chateaux....
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May 22, 2011 |
Une deuxième couche gratuite pour tes chateaux! J'adore! |
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May 22, 2011 |
Wow, this is insane! Another masterpiece! Bravo!
You are now among my favortie builders! |
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May 20, 2011 |
Wow you are one of the best castle builders iv e seen on mocpages. |
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I made it |
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May 16, 2011 |
Quoting Derek Berdine
...Holy...freakin'...nuts.
This is just too epic. It may be worth the postage to send a delegation to Belvoir for a diplomatic visit, someday.
Oups! Don't send your ambassadors, the Castle doesn't exist anymore!!! |
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May 15, 2011 |
...Holy...freakin'...nuts.
This is just too epic. It may be worth the postage to send a delegation to Belvoir for a diplomatic visit, someday. |
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April 10, 2011 |
Wow! love it! |
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March 14, 2011 |
Unbelievable castle so much attention to detail, and built in little over a month great job 5/5 |
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January 22, 2011 |
WOW, castle building on an epic scale, love the overall design of the castle and its defining features. I myself are working on a large scale castle, but wont be posting it for maybe 5years, why? because I don't have enough bricks yet, LOL. |
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January 15, 2011 |
Wow! I think that this is better than the Krak des Chevaliers MOC you built earlier: this castle looks alive. |
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I like it |
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January 3, 2011 |
I love this kind of huge constructions!
excellent details! |
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I like it |
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January 2, 2011 |
This castle is incredible! I'm amazed by how much detail is on the interior of the castle, I especially love the cross-shaped flower garden in the courtyard (or whatever you call it). Great job! |
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I like it |
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January 2, 2011 |
Thats a mighty big castle |
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I like it |
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December 31, 2010 |
Mmmm, White Castle....Oh, yes, great build! |
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December 31, 2010 |
Excellent, great work on all the nice details |
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December 31, 2010 |
Glorious! |
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December 31, 2010 |
Awed, shocked, amazed, speechless... Those are only a few of the states my mind has been hurled into after viewing this amazing MOC. Great build - now I'll hush and go back to looking at it... |
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I like it |
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December 31, 2010 |
Hallucinant ! C'est le plus beau et le plus complet château que j'ai vu en LEGO. Il est vraiment magnifique, à la fois à l'extérieur et à l'intérieur. Le nombre de détails est vraiment délirant. J'ai du mal à croire que tu aies pu construire ça en moins de deux mois, il m'aurait fallu des années (et encore...) ! Bravo et j'attends avec impatience Minas Tirith ! |
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December 31, 2010 |
Quoting christophe corthay
'tain !!!! mais tu fais des trucs de oufs !!!!! Ton krak est hallucinant et celui ci aussi !!! Houaaa le kif !! Je n'ai jamais eu que le chateau jaune de lego avec lequel je m'éclatais déjà pas mal mais tu mets une dimension de construction et donc de jeux dans tes châteaux qui va faire rêver tous les mômes que nous sommes !!! Chapeaux bas !! Et à quand celui de sauron à l'échelle minifigs ??
Salut Christophe, merci bcp, trop gentil! Ca fait plaisir de voir un frenchie aussi! En fait, un de mes reves serait plutot Minas Tirith... un jour... |
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December 30, 2010 |
'tain !!!! mais tu fais des trucs de oufs !!!!! Ton krak est hallucinant et celui ci aussi !!! Houaaa le kif !! Je n'ai jamais eu que le chateau jaune de lego avec lequel je m'éclatais déjà pas mal mais tu mets une dimension de construction et donc de jeux dans tes châteaux qui va faire rêver tous les mômes que nous sommes !!! Chapeaux bas !! Et à quand celui de sauron à l'échelle minifigs ?? |
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December 30, 2010 |
This is a spectacle... Not only because of the intricacy in the exterior building and sheer size of the MOC, but also because of the attention paid to detail and to elements such as churches, evil sorcerer's dens, and throne rooms. A truly marvelous MOC that I hope gets put on Across MOC Pages so all others can see it, too. |
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December 30, 2010 |
Quoting Eggy Pop
Very Impressive to say the least!
Thank you very much, you are a great source of inspiration for us all! I'd wish I could build as you do! |
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December 30, 2010 |
Very Impressive to say the least! |
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December 30, 2010 |
That's gotta be the most complete castle MOC I've ever seen! Majestic! |
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December 30, 2010 |
Quoting Asterios The 1st.
ugh how am I supposed to do Crusader Castles if you keep doing them all?
I promise: next one is for you! Thanks! |
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I made it |
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December 30, 2010 |
Quoting Blake Baer
Your addition of minifigs on this one makes it doubly epic!
Thank you, your advising on Krak was very precious for me! |
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December 30, 2010 |
Quoting Mark Kelso
Having recently ordered a large number of white elements - and seeing how little mileage I got out of them - this gives me an appreciation for the sheer volume of parts in the creation. It's rare to see a castle that's actually close to scale, but this stunner hits nearer the mark than most I've seen. Fantastic work in scale and detail!! Thanks for posting!
The great Mark Kelso commenting on my MOC, it's too much honour! Well, I'm collecting white bricks since 25 years more or less, so it was natural for me to build in white.
Thanks again for your comment. |
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December 30, 2010 |
I'm in the same boat as Kelso here with the whole "just got a lot of white and am seeing how little it really covers" so MAN this thing is just STUNNING! Thanks for sharing with us! ~ Chris. |
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December 30, 2010 |
Gorgeous! So...many...bricks...~H |
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December 30, 2010 |
I can't believe that someone could make something out of LEGO that big... |
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December 30, 2010 |
Amazing! Your attention to detail is most excellent. Some SNOT on the floors would have really captured the eye, but that would have been a lot of snot. One of the best castles I have seen. Excellent work! |
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I like it |
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December 30, 2010 |
Having recently ordered a large number of white elements - and seeing how little mileage I got out of them - this gives me an appreciation for the sheer volume of parts in the creation. It's rare to see a castle that's actually close to scale, but this stunner hits nearer the mark than most I've seen. Fantastic work in scale and detail!! Thanks for posting! |
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I like it |
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December 30, 2010 |
Your addition of minifigs on this one makes it doubly epic! |
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December 30, 2010 |
it is not just exterior of the castle as the most of them have, it has amazing interior, market, church, stables, inn... speechless :O |
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December 30, 2010 |
Wow. Words fail. |
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December 30, 2010 |
Very nice, I'd love to explore this castle as a minifigure |
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December 30, 2010 |
beautiful. Absolutely stunning work. Your detail is great, and the spaciousness of the castle itself really gives it a more realistic feel. 100/5. |
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December 29, 2010 |
It took you only two months to build that !!! It would have take me a year to build something similar and I don't think it would have look as cool as your MOC. Awesome. |
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December 29, 2010 |
ugh how am I supposed to do Crusader Castles if you keep doing them all? |
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