Qalaat Sheizar (قلعة شيزر) is an impressive Arab castle located to the north of Hama (حماة) overlooking a vital river crossing point on the Orontes. Here the river, after rushing around a bend through a confined gorge to the east, returns to the more leisurely pace of the plains. The settlement apparently has classical origins, with local legends recorded by Diodorus Siculus (first century BC) claiming its foundation …
Among Syrians, Abu Qubeis (آبو قبيس) is one of the most popular sites in the region around Hama (حماة). To foreign visitors, however, it is largely unknown. Locals come here mostly for the natural scenery: the village of Abu Qubeis (آبو قبيس) is located in a mountain river valley, surrounded by pine forests. Particularly in summer, this small Alawite village is full of locals picnicking along the river. …
One of the most dramatically situated castles in the whole of Syria, the Crusader castle of Qalaat Mirza (قلعة ميرزا) – sometimes referred to as Qalaat Barziyeh (قلعة برزية) – is well worth a detour for those who have a passion for fortifications. Located in the far northwest of the Hama Region (ريف حماة) on a rocky crag on the steep side of Jebel Ansariyeh, the castle is described by …
Masyaf (مصياف) is a predominantly Ismaili town about 45 kilometers west of Hama (حماة). The primary attraction of Masyaf (مصياف) is the Ismaili castle, one of the best preserved in Syria. The town itself is also a pleasant place to explore, with an old section of town and a scenic location at the foothills of the coastal mountain range. The castle can easily be combined …
The remains of two Byzantine churches are located on opposite ends of this small Alawite village near Masyaf (مصياف). The western church, the first as you approach Deir al-Salib (دير الصليب), is in a far greater state of preservation and is well worth a visit if you’re in the area. It is very lightly decorated, but the scale is impressive and the setting is beautiful, particularly …
Qasr Ibn Wardan (قصر ابن وردان) is a fascinating Byzantine church and palace complex located at the edge of the desert to the northeast of Hama (حماة). Built during the reign of Justinian and completed in 564, the site supplemented other Byzantine fortifications such as Halabiyeh (حلبية) and al-Rasafeh (الرصافة) in defense of the Persians to the east. The approach here was far more elegant in design, with …
The remote Byzantine site of al-Andarin (الاندرين) is spread over a vast area at the edges of the semi-desert, about twenty-five kilometers beyond the more well-known Byzantine site of Qasr Ibn Wardan (قصر ابن وردان). Once a massive settlement, much of the site remains unexcavated, but it is nonetheless a fascinating place to explore. The site is perhaps most impressive for the surreal setting, with …
The small desert village of Athriya (اثريا) was once the site of the ancient Roman settlement of Seriana. Remains of its beautiful third century temple, relatively well-preserved, survive in this harsh desert landscape located about one hundred and thirty kilometers from Hama (حماة) and about equal distance from Homs (حمص). Once an important crossroads, and considerably more fertile than it is today, Athriya (اثريا) marked the point where the route between …
Qalaat al-Shamamis (قلعة الشماميس) is a largely ruined Ayyubid-era castle located just a few kilometers northwest of Salamiyeh (سلمية). The castle dates from 1231 and was built on the flattened top of an extinct volcanic cone by the Ayyubid Prince of Homs, al-Mujahid Assad al-Din Shirkuh II (المجاهد أسد الدين شيركوه), who ruled between 1186 and 1240. The castle was destroyed by the Mongols in 1260 …
Salamiyeh (سلمية) is a predominantly Ismaili town located about forty kilometers east of Hama (حماة). The town has had a long history dating back to Roman times, and while there isn’t much evidence of it today, it is worth spending some time to see what Salamiyeh (سلمية) has to offer. The most interesting site in the city is the mosque and tomb of Imam Ismael, which was built …
