Qalaat Najm

Qalaat Najm (قلعة نجم) is an impressive fortress located on the west bank of the Euphrates River east of Aleppo (حلب). The castle is known from Arabic texts to date back to at least the 7th century, possibly constructed over earlier Roman-era fortifications. Nur al-Din Mahmoud Zenki (نور الدين محمود زنكي), who ruled from 1146 through 1174, was responsible for reconstructing the earlier fortress at …