- Collection: The Limestone Massif of North-Western Syria
63 Items
Kfellusin North Church
The north, probably C5th, church has been heavily mined for building materials and, at the time of the visit was strewn with rubbish. Only the bema, apse and part of the southern colonnade were still extant and the presence of a notched pillar suggested that originally some form of nave barrier was present - as appears to have been the case at several other sites such as Kharab Shams and Kafar Daret 'Azzeh.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Bema, C5th, Church, Jebel Halaqa, Kafar Daret 'Azzeh, Kfellusin, Kharab Shams, Limestone Massif, Syria
Kfellusin South Church
As this church stands to the south of the modern village it has not been as badly damaged as the north church and still has most of its walls attached, with only the west wall missing.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Church, Jebel Halaqa, Kfellusin, Late Antique, Limestone Massif, Syria
Kfellusin Tower
This is a similar tower to that at nearby Sergibleh and again would have served as both a dwelling for several families and a place of refuge for villagers at a time of attack.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Jebel Halaqa, Kfellusin, Late Antique, Limestone Massif, Sergibleh, Syria, Tower
Kharab Shams
The church of Kharab Shams was built in the C4th and is generally well preserved, however it was altered in the early Islamic period when the apse area was turned into a small fortress. Today the small settlement is completely abandoned except by shepherds and goatherds who use the wells around the site.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Bema, C4th, Church, Early Islamic, Fortress, Jebel Seman, Kharab Shams, Limestone Massif, Syria
Kimar
The modern village now surrounds the C5th church in Kimar, although a recently built house beside the site did not immediately threaten the ruins at the time of the site visit. The walls and bema were in relatively good condition, although nothing stood higher than around knee-height. At this site the bema had clear notches in the stone indicating that wooden seats and panels would have originally been attached to the stone base of the platform.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Bema, C5th, Church, Jebel Seman, Kimar, Limestone Massif, Syria
Mushabbak
An almost perfectly preserved C5th basilica south of the road from Aleppo to Daret 'Azzeh, Mushabbak is a popular destination for pilgrims on their journey to Qalat Seman.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Aleppo, Architecture, C5th, Church, Daret 'Azzeh, Jebel Seman, Limestone Massif, Mushabbak, Qalat Seman, Syria
Pyramid tomb, Al Bara
Al Bara is a modern town located besides the ruins of a substantial late antique settlement in Idlib province. It is particularly well-known for its distinctive pyramidal-roofed mausoleum.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Al Bara, Architecture, Jebel Zawiyeh, Late Antique, Limestone Massif, Mausoleum, Pyramid, Syria
Qal'at Kalota
The C5th church of Qalat Kalota stands on a hill to the west of the village of Kalota. It gets its name from the Arabic word "Qal'ah" or castle as, like Kharab Shams, the church was fortified in the Islamic era. It is generally well preserved and stands in a large courtyard with a martyrium to the south of the church.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Bema, C5th, Church, Early Islamic, Fortress, Jebel Seman, Limestone Massif, Martyrium, Qalat Kalota, Syria
Qal'at Seman
Qal'at Seman is the site where Simeon Stylites the Elder stood on a pillar for 36 years. The hill is located to the north of Jebel Sheikh Barakat and the monumental complex was constructed on the orders of the Emperor after Simeon died in 459. It was one of the biggest churches in the world at the time it was built.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, C5th, Church, Jebel Seman, Jebel Sheikh Barakat, Limestone Massif, Martyrium, Pilgrimage, Pillar, Qalat Seman, Simeon Stylites, Stylite, Syria
Qal'at Seman 1992
These images of Qal'at Seman were taken in December 1992
Type: Architecture
Tags: C5th, Church, Limestone Massif, Pilgrimage, Pillar, Qalat Seman, Simeon Stylites, Syria