Crusader Castles

The highway from Aleppo to Latakia on the Mediterranean	Construction of the new highway connecting Aleppo with Latakia, Idlib Province	Fertile valley, Idlib Province, Syria	The green Syrian highlands around Salma
Slinfah, Syria	Wildflowers in the Syrian highlands between Salma and Slinfah	Wildflower, Syria	Slinfah, Syria
Road in the highlands near Slinfah, Syria	Slinfah, Syria	There are signs on the mountain roads, not many and navigation can be challenging	Saone Castle, now known as Salahadin Castle, Syria
Qalaat Saladin, a crusader castle now named after its conqueror	Despite the impressive hilltop location, Saladin conquored the castle in 1188	I visited the main Syrian crusader castles from north to south, a good choice as each subsequent castle is more impressive	Qalaat Saladin - Saone Castle, Syria
Thick forests around Saladin Castle	Support for the drawbridge, Saladin Castle	A defensive ditch was cut out of the solid rock along the eastern edge of the castle with one pillar left for the drawbridge	This gorge was cut by hand to protect the castle
Ramparts and towers above the gorge at Saladin Castle (Saone)	Saladin Castle (Saone)	Qalaat Saladin	Steps climbing through the wooded hillside to the modern entrance to Saladin Castle
The modern entrance to Saladin Castle	Qal'at Salahidin	Closer up, the ruins are more extensive than the first distant view implies	The Keep, Saone Castle - Qalaat Saladin
Saladin Castle	The Keep, Saone Castle	Massive vaulted chamber at the base of the keep, Saone Castle - Qalaat Saladin	Upper chamber in the Keep of Saladin Castle (Saone)
View from the top of the Keep, Saladin Castle	Saladin Castle	Looking out where the drawbridge used to cross the gorge	The hand-cut gorge forming the eastern defense of Saone Castle
Arrow slit, Saone Castle	Qalaat Saladin - Saone Castle	Qalaat Saladin - Saone Castle	Qalaat Saladin - Saone Castle
The mosque built after Saladin's conquest of Saone Castle	Minaret, Qalaat Saladin	Mosque, Qalaat Saladin	Mosque, Qalaat Saladin
Baths, Qalaat Saladin	Baths, Qalaat Saladin	Baths, Qalaat Saladin	Cistern, Saone Castle
View of the lower courtyard where Saladin breached the poorly defended walls in 1188	Ruined wall separating the lower courtyard from the main castle	The industrialized Syrian coast at Banias	Exit from the coastal highway for Marqeb Citadel - Qalaat Al-Marqeb
Marqeb Castle sits high on a hilltop overlooking the Mediterranean	Marqeb Castle is also a ruin, but with more substantial remains than Saone Castle	Marqeb Castle held out until 1285, nearly a century longer than Saone	Markab Castil
Qalaat Al-Marqeb, Syria	The view of the Syrian coast on a not-very-clear day	View of from Marqeb Citadel, Syria	These are greenhouses, Syria
Al Marqeb Citadel, Syria	The main gatehouse to Marqeb Castle	Marqeb Castle was a major stronghold of the Knights Hospitallers	Marqeb withstood sieges in 1204 and 1280
In 1285, shortly before the Crusaders ultimate withdrawal from the Middle East, the castle fell to Sultan Qalaun	Latakia fell in 1287, Tartus in 1291, and finally the island of Arwad in 1302	Arched gateway, Marqeb Castle	Marqeb Castle
Stars of David on an Ottoman era building at Marqeb	The main courtyard and massive chapel of Marqeb Castle	Side door to the Marqeb Castle chapel	Chapel of Marqeb Castle
Chapel of Marqeb Castle	Chapel of Marqeb Castle	Front entrance, Marqeb Castle chapel	Chamber above the cistern with several wells
Knight's Hall, Marqeb Castle	Knight's Hall, Marqeb Castle	View of Marqeb Castle from the chapel roof	View of the Syrian countryside around Marqeb Castle
View of the outer defenses of Marqeb Castle from the chapel	Qalaat Al-Marqeb, Syria	Marqeb Castle	Overgrown ruin, Marqeb Castle
Large vaulted chamber, Marqeb Castle	Marqeb Castle	Krak des Chevaliers on a foggy night	The mountainous area around Krak des Chevaliers is still heavily Christian
Hotel Al-Riad, 1-star, inexpensive, clean and friendly	Standard Syrian hotel breakfast, Al-Riad Hotel	View from the Al-Riad Hotel	View of the Krak des Chevaliers from the Al-Riad Hotel
Not the best of days weatherwise....	Imposing hilltop location of the Krak des Chevaliers	Al Wadi Hotel - 4 (Syrian) stars	Deir Mar Gerjos - Monastery of St. George
Monastery of St. George	Monastery of St. George, Syria	Deir Mar Gerjos, Syria	Monastery of St. George, Syria
Monastery of St. George, Syria	Monastery of St. George	Monastery of St. George	Monastery of St. George
SyriaMay07 1770.jpg	Cloister, Monastery of St. George	Church of the Monastery of St. George	Monastery of St. George
Monastery of St. George	Orthodox priest, Monastery of St. George	The Arabic name for Krak des Chevaliers is Qalaat Al-Hosn	The Arabic name for Krak des Chevaliers is Qalat Al Hosn - most signs use tha tname
Only a few signs use Crac des Chevaliers	Krak des Chevaliers	Village at the base of the Krak des Chevaliers	Krak des Chevaliers, enlarged by the Knights Hospitallers starting in 1142
Crac des Chevaliers	Qalaat al-Hosn - the Crusader castle was built on the site of an earlier fortification	Qalaat al-Hosn - Krak des Chevaliers	The bridge is a narrow aqueduct which feeds the cistern
Krak des Chevaliers withstood a siege by Saladin in 1183	As imposing as it is, the Krak fell to Sultan Baybars in 1271	Baibars' siege of Crac des Chevaliers lasted only 5 weeks	Krak des Chevaliers is the best preserved of all the Crusader castles
Krak des Chevaliers	Qalaat al-Hosn - Krak des Chevaliers, Syria	Aqueduct of Krak des Chevaliers	Drive up the hill past the main entrance for this famous view of the Krak
Krak des Chevaliers sits on a hill 650m above sea level	Wildflowers near the Krak des Chevaliers	Krak des Chevaliers with wildflowers	Syrian wildflower
Flowers and the Krak	Qalaat al-Hosn - Krak des Chevaliers	Qalaat al-Hosn - Krak des Chevaliers	Crac des Chevaliers
Qalaat al-Hosn - Krak des Chevaliers, Syria	Qalaat al-Hosn - Krak des Chevaliers	Qalaat al-Hosn - Krak des Chevaliers	Alawite village below the Krak des Chevaliers
Ramparts near the parking lot	Post-Crusader Arabic inscriptions over the gate to Qalaat Al-Hosn	The main gate, Crac des Chevaliers	Informational sign at Le Krak des Chevaliers
Entrance ramp, Krak des Chevaliers	Entrance ramp, Krak des Chevaliers	Medieval artillery	Fountain in the Hammam, a post-Crusader enhancement
Bring a flashlight to explore dark passages like this leading down from the Hammam	Sloping wall leading up to the Keep and Master Chamber, Krak des Chevaliers	Reservoir, Crac des Chevaliers	Passageway along the southeast wall
The second stable's main entrance is to the right	The second stable running the length of the southern wall, Krak des Chevaliers	Southwest corner tower	Post-conquest Arabic inscriptions, southwest corner tower
Aqueduct, Krak des Chevaliers	Aqueduct, Krak des Chevaliers	Aqueduct, Krak des Chevaliers	Sloping inner south wall of the Keep and Master Chamber
The inner southeast corner with the gate leading to the main ramp	Upper level, outer south fortifications	The Keep, Krak des Chevaliers	View of the modern village below Krak des Chevaliers
Until the end of the 19th Century, the villagers lived inside the castle	Upper passageway, southeast wall	The Hammam did not stand the test of time	Krak des Chevaliers - Qalaat al-Hosn
Gatehouse between the outer wards and the keep	The Square Tower, Krak des Chevaliers	Krak des Chevaliers	Southern castle ward with reservoir
Aqueduct, Krak des Chevaliers	Aqueduct, Krak des Chevaliers	Staircase	Surprisingly large windows in one of the outer towers, Krak des Chevaliers
Another dark stairway leading to the lower levels	Ramp to the Keep	90-degree left turn at the top of the upper ramp to the Keep	Upper Court with Loggia and Chapter Room
Loggia window, Krak des Chevaliers	SyriaMay07 1858.jpg	SyriaMay07 1860.jpg	SyriaMay07 1861.jpg
North end of the Long Hall, Krak des Chevaliers	Chapel, Krak des Chevaliers	Minbar in the coverted Crusader chapel	Crusader Chapel converted to a mosque
Upper Courtyard and Keep, Krak des Chevaliers	Upper Courtyard, Qalaat al-Hosn	Storerooms off the Upper Court, Krak des Chevaliers	Storerooms off the Upper Court, Krak des Chevaliers
Modern village below the castle	Keep, Krak des Chevaliers	Viewof the Upper Court from the Keep, Krak des Chevaliers	Viewof the Upper Court from the Keep, Krak des Chevaliers
View SE from the Keep, Krak des Chevaliers	Master Chamber, Krak des Chevaliers	View of the Keep, southern ward and Reservoir, Krak des Chevaliers	Outer western ward looking north from the Master Chamber, Krak des Chevaliers
View from the Restaurant Terrace, Krak des Chevaliers	Leaving via the Upper Ramp, Krak des Chevaliers	Driving back to Damascus	Driving back to Damascus
President Hafez al-Assad looks over the coastal highway