Temple of Baal Shamin
Dating from AD 17 and dedicated to the Phoenician god of storms and fertilising rains, the Temple of Baal Shamin is all that remains of a much larger compound. This small shrine stands alone 200m north of the main colonnaded street, near the Zenobia Hotel, in what was a residential
Palmyra Museum
With improving but still patchy labelling in English and Arabic, Palmyra Museum is worth a quick visit to add some context to the ruins. There’s a good, large-scale model of the Temple of Bel in its original state and some fine mosaics found in what are presumed to be nobles’ house
Towers of Yemliko
To the south of the city wall at the foot of low hills is a series of variously sized, freestanding, square-based towers. Known as the Towers of Yemliko, they were constructed as multistorey burial chambers, stacked high with coffins posted in pigeonhole-like niches. The niches, or
Sayyida Ruqayya Mosque
Also near the Umayyad Mosque is the modern, Iranian-built Shiite Sayyida Ruqayya Mosque, dedicated to the daughter of the martyr Hussein, son of Ali. Powerful in the passion it inspires in the (mostly Iranian)pilgrims, breathtaking in the extravagance of its decoration, this mosque
Hypogeum of the Three Brothers
In addition to the funerary towers, Palmyra boasts a second, later type of tomb, the hypogeum, which was an underground burial chamber. As with the towers, this chamber was filled with loculi fitted with stone carved seals. The best of the 50 or more hypogea that have been discover
National Museum
Located off Sharia Shoukri al-Quwatli, this is Syria’s most important museum and well worth a visit. After passing the shady garden strewn with unlabelled antiquities, for which no room could be found within the museum’s walls, you enter the museum proper through the imposing facad
Tower of Elahbel
Further west of the Towers of Yemliko (a group of towers constructed as multistorey burial chambers), deeper into the hills, are plenty more funerary towers, some totally dilapidated, others relatively complete. By far the best preserved is the Tower of Elahbel, which is situated a
Souq Saroujah
A charming, laid-back neighbourhood of narrow alleys lined with small shops and punctuated by medieval tombs and mosques, Souq Saroujah is a fascinating place for a stroll. In medieval times the areas immediately outside of the city walls were developed as burial places for the dea
Souq al
Just to the south of the citadel, Souq al-Hamidiyya is the long, covered market that leads into the heart of the Old City. A cross between a Parisian passage, a department store and a Middle Eastern bazaar, its main thoroughfare is lined with clothes emporiums and handicrafts shops
Sayyida Zeinab Mosque
The splendid Iranian-built Sayyida Zeinab Mosque on the site of the burial place of Sayyida Zeinab, granddaughter of Mohammed, is about 10km south of the city centre, in a neighbourhood that is popular with Iranian pilgrims and is now home to most of the citys Iraqi refugees. Styli
Souqs
Aleppo’s souq, which runs for 1.5km from the 13th-century Bab Antakya in the west to the citadel in the east, makes the Old City one of the Middle East’s main attractions. This partially covered network of bustling passageways extends over several hectares, and once under the vault
Castle
The remarkably well-preserved castle comprises two distinct parts: the outside wall, with its 13 towers and main entrance; and the inside wall and central construction, built on a rocky platform. A moat dug out of the rock separates the two walls.A suggested route for exploration i
Al
Hamas most distinctive attractions are its norias, wooden water wheels up to 20m in diameter (the equivalent in height of a four- or five-storey building), which have graced the town for centuries. The land around the Orontes is considerably higher than the river itself, which is d
Great Colonnade
The spine of ancient Palmyra was a stately colonnaded avenue stretching between the citys main funerary temple in the west and the Temple of Bel in the east, and covering a distance of almost 1km. Unlike the typical Roman model, Palmyras main avenue was far from straight, pivoting
Citadel
Sitting atop a huge, man-made, earthen mound east of the Old City, the citadel dominates the city skyline. The first fortifications were built by the Seleucids (364-333 BC), but everything seen today dates from much later. The citadel served as a power base for the Muslims during t
Ruins
There’s no entry fee and no opening hours for the ruins, although three sites (the Temple of Bel, the Theatre and Elahbel, one of the funerary towers)do have set hours and require you to pay. Allow at least a day to explore the ruins, possibly with a break in the heat of the day an
Doing business & staying in touch while in Syrian Arab Republic
Syrian Arab Republic: Doing business & staying in touch
Syrian Arab Republic Weather, Climate and Geography
Syrian Arab Republic Weather, climate and geography
Syrian Arab Republic History, Language and Culture
Syrian Arab Republic History, Language and Culture
Syrian Arab Republic Travel Guide and Travel Information
Syrian Arab Republic Travel Guide
