CAIRO: The recent demolition of parts of Dekheila Fort, a historic site near Alexandria that dates back to 1250 A.D., has sparked widespread controversy and criticism.

Officials from the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities declined to respond to a request for comment on the destruction at the site but residents and heritage campaigners posted messages on Facebook that seemed to confirm it happened.

In one such post, local resident and heritage enthusiast Ziad Morsi said Dekheila Fort consisted of two structures and two cannons. One of the structures, known as the basin, which was built during the Mamluk period that ran from 1250 to 1517, has been demolished, he confirmed.

The second structure, which remains standing, is a tower that is a remnant of fortifications built by Ghalis Pasha during the reign of Muhammad Ali Pasha (1805-1848) and reinforced with Armstrong cannons during the rule of Khedive Ismail Pasha (1863-1879), he said.

Morsi wrote on Tuesday: “We were surprised yesterday by images from the Dekheila area showing a bulldozer demolishing the dry dock area and Dekheila Fort. I want to highlight a few points, the first of which is that the Dekheila beach area contains several historical sites, some of which are officially listed as Islamic antiquities in Egypt, while others remain unregistered.

“Unfortunately, what was demolished is the oldest registered Mamluk-era monument in Alexandria. Some friends had plans to conduct detailed studies and propose a restoration project for it.”

Abdel Rahim Rehan, head of the Campaign to Defend Egyptian Civilization, an organization established a few years ago to encourage preservation of the nation’s heritage, said: “The basin adjacent to Dekheila fort, which is reportedly demolished, is registered with the Ministry of Antiquities.

“It is located directly on the shore of Lake Dekheila and was used during the Mamluk era for city defense. However, it was repurposed during the reign of Muhammad Ali Pasha as a lighthouse to guide ships entering Alexandria’s ports.”

He added that the basin had suffered damage from winter coastal storms, marine debris and sewage infrastructure.

The Alexandria Antiquities Directorate has not commented on the demolition at the site. However, on Wednesday it said two historical cannons had been moved as part of a transfer of artifacts from the Dekheila fortifications to the nearby Kom El-Nadoura archaeological area.

An official from the directorate said: “Each cannon weighs 9 tonnes and they were moved following approval from the Permanent Committee for Islamic and Coptic Antiquities to ensure better preservation at the new site, as they are among the most important registered artifacts.

“The transfer was conducted under special procedures to preserve the cannons, with police security provided during the move. The cannons are now part of a collection in Kom El-Nadoura in Alexandria, where a display area for the cannons is being prepared. It will be completed once the entire contents of the fort are transferred.”

The Department of Archaeological Engineering and Environment at Cairo University’s Faculty of Engineering previously carried out studies at the site in preparation for a restoration project but no work was carried out.