Deir Mar Jerjes (دير مار جرجس) is a large Greek Orthodox monastery named after Saint George. It is located in Wadi al-Nasara (وادي النصارى), or “Valley of the Christians”, an area that includes several dozen Christian villages in the western countryside of Homs (حمص). The region has been a center for Greek Orthodox Christianity since the Byzantine period. The monastery was originally founded in the …
The ruined Byzantine city of Sergiopolis, known today as al-Rasafeh (الرصافة), is one of the most spectacular historic sites in eastern Syria and bound to impress just about anyone who visits. Few tourists reach this remote place, which makes the journey all that much more rewarding: you might very well have the entire site to yourself. The remains are massive in scale and stunning in detail, …
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 most impressive archaeological site in the countryside of Aleppo (حلب) is the remarkable Byzantine religious complex known today as Qalaat Samaan (قلعة سمعان). Constructed between 476 and 491, this monumental church was dedicated to Saint Simeon Stylites. It was on this hilltop that the ascetic spent nearly forty years living atop a stone pillar, devoting himself to religious observance and preaching to those who …
Deir Samaan (دير سمعان) is one of the most noteworthy Byzantine sites in the region, but is surprisingly overlooked by many visiting tourists. As neighboring Qalaat Samaan (قلعة سمعان) developed into a major center of pilgrimage, it was this town that provided services to those pilgrims, including accommodation. The village includes several inns, churches, monasteries and other buildings, many of which survive remarkably well preserved. …
The Byzantine church at al-Mushabak (المشبك) was described by archaeologist Howard Crosby Butler as “one of the most perfectly preserved of all the basilica churches of Northern Syria” during his surveys in the early 1900s. This remains true today, the church having survived another century without any significant damage. The basilica was originally constructed in the third quarter of the fifth century, at the same …
Sheikh Suleiman (شيخ سليمان) is one of the more impressive the Byzantine-era sites in the western countryside of Aleppo (حلب). Located in a relatively fertile patch of land in Jebel Samaan (جبل سمعان), the surviving ruins are surrounded by trees and other vegetation. The natural scene provides the site with additional charm, though it is being threatened by a slowly encroaching modern village. There are …
Sinkhar (سنخار) was a fairly extensive Byzantine settlement in the southeastern reaches of Jebel Samaan (جبل سمعان). While the state of preservation of the site is generally poor, one particular building is in remarkable condition. The sixth century chapel, originally attached to the southeastern façade of the much larger fourth century church, remains exceptionally well preserved. The chapel features detailed stone carved decoration, both around …
