Aleppo Citadel

St. Simeon’s Castle and church:

It is situated at 60 km to the northwest of Aleppo and stands on a rocky projection surrounded by valleys from south to north and east, forming natural defensive lines. it is named after St. Simon Al-Amoudi. He spent most of his life on top of a pillar worshipping his god. His students used to gather around him and people used to visit him every day. After his death in 459 A.D., Emperor Zeinon built a church to honor him in the same place. It is considered one of the most beautiful churches in the east. It consists of four intersected basilica churches having in the middle of them an octagon court covered by a dome. The famous pillar was in the center of this court. At a later stage, a monastery for monks and several hotels to accommodate pilgrims were built around the main church. When its inhabitants started to desert it in the 10th century, towers and walls were built around the structure turning it into a fortified defensive site known by the name of Qal’aat Samaan.

Crac des Chevaliers Castle:

It is situated on a volcanic hill at a height of 750 M. above sea level, and at a distance of 60 km to the west of Homs. It is the most important castle of the middle ages. It controls a strategic passage called Homs gap in Orontes valley. It covers an area of 3 hectares and has 13 towers containing a number of halls, stores, passages, bridges and stables. There is no definite information about who built it first. What is known about it is that it was built many centuries B.C. and was called the Kurds citadel. It was occupied by the Crusaders from 1099 to 1110 A.D. The Crusader prince of Tripoli handed it over in 1142 A.D. to the knights of the hospital. In 1271 A.D., the Arab Sultan Bebars conquered it using a unique military plan. In 1934 the soldiers were evacuated from it, and it was turned into an archeological site known as Crac des Chevaliers.

Salah al-Din Citadel:

It is one of the most fantastic citadels in Syria. It is located 35 km east of Lattakia and lies 410 meters above sea level. It was one of the important strategic military sites during the Middle Ages. It has a fascinating military engineering due to its location on top of a rocky hill with vertical slopes protected by natural deep trenches. It was always described as the invincible citadel and the most impregnable Crusader fortress, but in spite of its being impregnable, the leader Saladin Al-Ayoubi was able to take it away from the Crusaders in 1188 A. D.

Al-Marqab Citadel:

It is situated at a distance of 6 km to the southeast of Banyas town, and is 500 meters above sea level. It is enormous; there are no less than 14 square and round towers jutting from the curtain wall that encircles the hilltop to form a triangular bastion. southern corner, shapes  has kept upraised above it like the prows of a gigantic ship.

Suleiman Fortress:

It is located at a distance of 25 km from Safita town. It dates back to the 2nd century B. C. when the ancient inhabitants of Arwad Island built in it a temple dedicated to Baal and Astarte. It was built by huge stones and contains Roman monuments.

Al-Madiq Citadel:

It is located to the western remains of Apamea. It is the fortress and ancient acropolis of Apamea having a diameter of 250 meters and located on a great conic hill dating back to the 4th millennium B. C. It witnessed devastating battles during the wars against the Crusaders. It has huge towers and wall. It contains a mosque and a caravansary has been turned in 1982 into a museum containing the most wonderful mosaic paintings discovered in Apamea in addition to many other things.

Ja’abar Citadel:

It is located near the left bank of Al-Assad lake, near Euphrates Dam at a distance of 50 km from Ar’raqqa city. This citadel stands high on top of a lime hill ascending to 347 meters above sea level. Its length from north to south is 320 meters, and its width from the east to the west is 170 meters. It is surrounded by two walls containing more than 35 towers. The mosque was built in the middle of it. The citadel is attributed to Ja’abar Ibn Sabiq Al-kushairi who lived during the fifth century of the Hegira.

Shaizar citadel:

Located faraway west of Hama about 50 km to the south of of Mudiq castle lies the citadel of Shaizer overlooking the Orountes. I n the middle Ages it could only be reached by a drawbridge. The main tower of the citadel is square in shape and overlooks the defensive fortresses.Arabic inscriptions from the Mamluk periods appear over the entrance. The citadel was rebuilt by the Mamluks after it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1157. The Crusaders tried to occupy it several times, but in vain.