Al Shiraa Travel & Tourism

Its Arabic name is Qal'at Al-Hosn

Known also as the “Kurds Citadel”. In the year 1099 the Crusaders

occupied it. In 1142, the crusader prince of Tripoli handed it over to the

“knights of Saint Joseph” known as “Knights of the Hospital”, until the

Arab sultan Bebars conquered it with a skilful military plan in the year

1271. It was finally evacuated by the soldiers in 1934 to become a

touristic site.

Mari was discovered during the excavation of tell Hariri. The excavation

was done by a French mission, headed by André Parrot. It is famous for

its royal palace which is composed of 300 rooms and the officers hall

decorated with pictogramms kept at the Louvre museum.

It was discovered during the excavations of Tell Mardikh site. Ebla dates

back to the 4th Millennium B.C. and is considered one of the oldest

civilizations in the world. The discovery of its royal palace and its library

of 17000 clay tablets helped know more about this important civilization.

Its Arabic name is Lazikiya

Lattakia is Syria’s main seaport on the Mediterranean. Saluqos Nikator

named it after his mother Laudetia. Few ancient ruins have survived in

Lattakia, such as the “four columns” or the Roman arch from the time of

Septiums Severus. Lattakia, the pearl of the coast, blossoms every year

during “Al-Mahaba” Festival which takes place from the 2nd till the 12th

of August. This cultural, sportive and artistic event attracts many Arab

and foreign tourists.

Its Arabic name is Qal'at Samaan

After the death of St. Simeon, his body was moved to Antioch and the

Emperor Zenon ordered that a church be built in the same place he died

and named after him. Following that, walls and towers were built around

the church, which was turned into a fortress known as St. Simeon

Citadel. It became the center of conflict between the Byzantines and

Hamdanies until the year 986 A.D. when Sayf Ad-Dawla Al-Hamdani

finally captured it.