Citadel of Damascus, Tower 3

Described as a "majestic structure" by D. J. Cathcart King, this tower is the best preserved out of a total of 12. It is a lofty edifice in a virtually perfect condition. The author found it quite difficult to access the place "owing to the suspicious habits of the N.C.O.s of gendarmerie who had their quarters there and kept the door locked".

Following are two views of Tower 3, both from early to mid twentieth century. The first photo is taken from east to west with the roofs of Suq al-Hamidiyya on the left and the curtain (connecting Towers 3 and 4) on the right.

The second photo is of the west face of Tower 3 with a closeup view of the brattices (bretèche in French) with the arrow slits. 

Easily identified are multilevel loopholes which, along with those of Tower 4 located further east, were designed to subject the attackers to a crossfire of arrows from right and left, in addition the projectiles hurled from the curtain separating the two towers. 

Attached is a plan of the Citadel for the exact location of Tower 3 and the adjoining structures.

The Defences of the Citadel of Damascus; a Great Mohammedan Fortress of the Time of the Crusades

D. J. Cathcart King 

Archaeologica, Volume XCIV, 1951

http://bornindamascus.blogspot.com/2018/04/blog-post_17.html

BULLETIN D'ETUDES ORIENTALES, Supplément du Tome LIII-LIV, Citadelle de Damas. Etudes et travaux à la Citadelle de Damas : Un premier bilan, sous la direction de S. Berthier et E. El-Ajji. Damas, 2003,