Basufan باصوفان

The friendly Kurdish village of Basufan (باصوفان) contains sparse remains from the Byzantine period of what was one of the largest churches in the region of Jebel Samaan (جبل سمعان). The Church of Saint Phocas was dated to 491-492 and is a columned basilica similar in style to the martyrium of Qalaat Samaan (قلعة سمعان). The design included columns with Corinthian capitals and spiral fluting, some of which survives. The church is largely ruinous beyond its foundations, and its interior is now being utilized as the garden of a village home. There are other Byzantine-era ruins scattered around the village, but nothing substantial. Nonetheless, a stop by Basufan (باصوفان) is worthwhile if visiting other sites in the region.

 

Getting There: Getting to Basufan (باصوفان), like other sites in this region, is a bit of a challenge. Basufan (باصوفان) does have direct microbus connections with Aleppo (حلب), a route which passes by other notable sites in the region such as Burj Heidar (برج حيدر) and Kharab Shams (خراب شمس). The trip only takes about thirty minutes, but unfortunately these microbuses are very infrequent. Alternatively, Basufan (باصوفان) is only about four kilometers east of Qalaat Samaan (قلعة سمعان), the most prominent site in the region. Depending on your itinerary, it may be more convenient to walk or hitchhike from there, or hire a private driver from the nearby town of Daret Azeh (دارة عزة).

Coordinates: 36°20’26.69″N / 36°52’33.11″E

Transliteration Variants: Basofan

Rating: 2 / 10