adel ▁function ed ▁as ▁bar ra cks ▁for ▁the ▁J ann is aries — O tt oman ▁inf antry ▁units . ▁The ▁cit adel ▁started ▁to ▁fall ▁into ▁dis rep air ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁and ▁its ▁last ▁military ▁use ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁when ▁French ▁soldiers ▁sh elled ▁the ▁old ▁city ▁from ▁the ▁cit adel ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁Great ▁Sy rian ▁Revol t ▁against ▁the ▁French ▁Mand ate ▁of ▁Sy ria . ▁The ▁cit adel ▁continued ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁bar ra cks ▁and ▁prison ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁when ▁exc av ations ▁and ▁rest or ations ▁started . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁exc av ation ▁and ▁rest oration ▁efforts ▁are ▁still ▁on going . ▁ ▁The ▁cit adel ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁north west ▁corner ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁walls , ▁between ▁the ▁Bab ▁al - F ar ad is ▁and ▁the ▁Bab ▁al - J abi y ah . ▁The ▁cit adel ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁more ▁or ▁less ▁rect angular ▁cur tain ▁wall ▁en clos ing ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁. ▁The ▁walls ▁were ▁originally ▁protected ▁by ▁ 1 4 ▁massive ▁to wers , ▁but ▁today ▁only ▁ 1 2 ▁remain . ▁The ▁cit adel ▁has ▁gates ▁on ▁its ▁northern , ▁western ▁and ▁eastern ▁fl anks . ▁The ▁current ▁cit adel ▁dates ▁primarily ▁to ▁the ▁A yy ub id ▁period ▁while ▁incorpor ating ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁older ▁Sel ju q ▁for tr ess . ▁Ext ensive ▁rep