Category: Syrian Arab Republic

Byzantine-era Castle in Syria at Risk After Earthquake; Tasos Kokkinidis; Greek Reporter

Photo: Anas Al Rifai

The Byzantine-era castle in Syria, Fortress of Saladin, is in danger of collapse following the deadly earthquakes in February.

Source: Byzantine-era Castle in Syria at Risk After Earthquake

A documentary tourist trip to the historic city of Palmyra – video; Ruaa Al-Jazaeeri; SANA

The Syrian Society for Exploration and Documentation, “I am the Syrian”, organized a documentary tourist trip to the historic city of Palmyra with the participation of about 180 volunteers to record observations about the affected archaeological areas and the requirements for improving the service reality to be accomplished in cooperation with the bodies concerned.

Source: A documentary tourist trip to the historic city of Palmyra – video

Centuries-old bazaar in Syria’s Aleppo making slow recovery; Bassem Mroue; AP

Bit by bit, Aleppo’s centuries-old bazaar is being rebuilt as Syrians try to restore one of their historical crown jewels, devastated during years of brutal fighting for control of the city. The historic Old City at the center of Aleppo saw some of the worst battles of Syria’s eight-year civil…

Source: Centuries-old bazaar in Syria’s Aleppo making slow recovery

Projects and studies for restoration of ancient city of Bosra al-Sham completed; SANA

The Bosra al-Sham Department of Antiquities in Daraa governorate has completed documentation of the damages caused to the old city due to the terrorist attacks. The department also prepared studies for some of the necessary works inside the castle to improve situation of the historic…

Source: Projects and studies for restoration of ancient city of Bosra al-Sham completed 

The Heritage of Notre Dame–Less European than People Think; Diana Darke; Arab America

It was striking as Paris’s landmark site of Notre Dame Cathedral burned before our eyes, how few seemed to know that Notre Dame’s architectural design, its twin towers flanking an elaborate entrance, its rose windows, its rib vaulting and its spire (la fleche) owe their origins to Middle Eastern predecessors. The earliest example says, Arab America contributing writer, Diana Darke, stands on a hillside in northwest Syria, in Idlib province, in a church built from local limestone in the mid-5th century. It’s called Qalb Lozeh (‘Heart of the Almond’ in Arabic) rightly praised as one of the best-preserved examples of Syrian church architecture, a magnificently proportioned broad-aisled basilica, the forerunner of what came to be known as the Romanesque period.

Source: The Heritage of Notre Dame–Less European than People Think