The extant architecture from the Crusaders, notably the prison-fortress at Akko, is characterized by its bulk. The Crusader hold over the land was tenuous and required ceaseless defense. Castles and fortresses were built European-style and not modified to suit the climate of the Middle East-the walls are thick, the windows are small, and the atmosphere is that of a sauna. From the Romanesque period, only the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Church of St. Anne are still in use.

Coptic architecture in Egypt consists mainly of tombs, monasteries, and churches, constructed of limestone and timber. Granite columns contain detailed reliefs and carvings of crosses, flowers, and other patterns. Two sites at which tombs can be viewed today are the catacombs of Alexandria and the cemetery of Al-Bahnasa, at which the form of the small funerary basilica was perfected. The Deir al-Abyad Monastery, with its decorated niches and frescoes which once covered the walls, is a fine example of early Christian architecture. The churches of Old Cairo have been influenced by both Arab mosques and Western churches.