AfricaLibyaSurt
Sirte
Surt, Libya · Africa
About Sirte
Sirte sits on the route: 20 minutes from Qasr Abu Hadi.
Sirte is in Surt, Libya, with about 110,000 people. The nearest town is Qasr Abu Hadi, about 18 km away.
Sirte (; Arabic: سِرْت, ), also spelled Sirt, Surt, Sert or Syrte, is a city in Libya. It is located south of the Gulf of Sirte, almost right in the middle between Tripoli and Benghazi. It is known for its battles, ethnic groups and loyalty to former Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi. Due to developments in the FirstRead more
Libyan Civil War, it was briefly the capital of Libya from 1 September to 20 October 2011 as Tripoli's successor after the city's fall. The settlement was established in the early 20th century by the Italians, at the site of a 19th-century fortress built by the Ottomans. It grew into a city after World War II.
Contrary to popular belief, Sirte was not Muammar Gaddafi's birthplace. Gaddafi's birthplace was in a village 20 km south of Sirte, which is called Qasr Abu Hadi. The inhabitants of this village were farmers. Just a few significant people from the Gaddafi tribe, of whom some were born in Sirte, were appointed to government roles during the time of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya until the NATO-led invasion of Libya in 2011. Sirte was favoured by the Gaddafi government. The city was the final major stronghold of Gaddafi loyalists in the civil war and Gaddafi was killed there by rebel forces on 20 October 2011 after sustaining major injury caused by French Air Force Bombs discharged as part of the NATO intervention. During the battle, Sirte was left almost completely in ruins, with many buildings destroyed or damaged. Six months after the civil war, almost 60,000 inhabitants, more than 70 percent of the pre-war population, had returned.
Where to Stay in Sirte
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Sirte.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Sirte.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sirte?
Sirte is in Surt, Libya, about 18 km from Qasr Abu Hadi.
Road trip
Drive to Sirte
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Sirte. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 106,705
- Continent
- Africa
- Country
- Libya
- Region
- Surt
- Timezone
- Africa/Tripoli
- Coordinates
- 31.2089, 16.5887
Tags
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Sirte.
No nearby destinations found within 200 km.
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Sirte.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.