Idleb is located 330km. to the north west of Damascus. It is about
600-850 meters above sea level, Idleb, city and province, enjoy
a mild climate, good soli, a good geographical location and good
annual precipitation it is rich in summer and health resorts such
as Ariha,Darkoush, the springs of Ein Al Zarka, the famous Sheikh
Issa Baths ( hot springs) to name a few. It is also rich in its
produce the most important of which is olives for which Idleb
has been famous for sages. The special geographical location has
secured human settlements and activities since ancient times.
Hence the richness of Idleb in hundreds of archaeological sites
| The
Dead Cities of the north |
These are innumerable towns
and village scattered here and there, they were aggregates of
communities and human settlements which had been once prosperous
and developed for hundreds of years in their early history Idleb
is distinguished for these extinct or forgotten cities as they
exist no where else in Syria. Human activities in these cities
ceased to be long ago and the only human activities now are in
the few villages and towns neighboring what is left of these extinct
cities
Among the ruins, stones, boulders, columns and dwellings that
are scattered over dark brown soli, solemn silence prevails. This
magic silence fascinates the viewer who is overwhelmed by solemnity
and gravity of this place. He, she gets the feeling that time
has stopped here.
These cities are located every where
in Idleb province. They are all similar in shape design and architecture.
Here lies the mystery of their history which is still somewhat
vague unlike other archaeological sites in Syria
The largest of these forgotten cities
is AlBara, 35 k.m south of Idleb Opinion about its history are
contradictory. Some say its history dates back to the second century
B.C and perhaps even further
Others say it was built in the second
century A.D. the time when Christianity spread in the area. No
matter how contradictory these opinions are. Al Bara was the most
important & most prosperous city of these forgotten cities
in the north. Its buildings cover an area of 35 sq. km. it has
five churches of the fourth century A.D the vestibules, arches
and columns of those churches are still there. In addition to
those there are dozens of two story houses built of huge decorated
boulders depicting plant life with which the whole area was rich.
Modest, but well conserved, this
village, apart from its private habitats and agricultural villas,
includes a necropolis, a church, thermal baths, wine-presses and
an " androon" where the local of ficials met up .
Cyrrhus carries the name of a Macedonian
town: Cyrrhus. Capital of Cyrrhestic (province of the Selucid
kingdom) the town served as a shield against invasions. It was
also the crossroad of the northern roads and the home of floushing
ariculture.occupied from the IInd century AD it served as a base
for the miltay campaigns carried out against the Armenians of
the north.in the IIrd century AD.its role of caretaker of the
border was appropriated by Hierapolis ( Membih) it was then twice
occupied by Presians until Theodoret of Cyr ( 423 to 450 AD) renovates
and fortifies it in line with his border work .
The basilica at Qalb Loza isn't
and never was, a cathedral. Its powerful, somewhat squat, shape
gives it more the appearance of a large country church. But in
this wild solitary setting it seems like a challenge. With its
three big rounded arches at the front, its apse behind, it has
survived twelve or thirteen centuries of oblivion. And now it
is being restored, there are scaffoldings on the facade, the towers
and the lintels are being rebuilt, by men of another faith.
This ancient Christian village is
built around a house dating from the IIIrd century, transformed
into a church the following century.it contains relics of one
of the first martyrs. the first Christians clandestinely celebrated
their masses here until the Edit of Milan ( 313)
Its 10 Km south of Afrin in the
valley of the Afrin River (classical Oinoparas), a picturesque
orchard area near the Turkish border,
Ain Dara has remains from
many periods including Seleucid , Greek and Arab ( with a gap
during Roman times ) but its main interest lies in the Neo-Hittite'
period at the beginning of the first millennium BC when Ain Dara
was one of the fragmented principalities established following
the Sea Peoples invasion of the Levant.
It is famous for hosting the
tombs of the Omayad caliph Omar Ibn Abdul Azizand the great poet
and philosopher Abo Al Alaa Al Ma'ari . The town also has one
of the most important mosaic museums in the world .
Established in the third millennium
B.C, Ebla became the most important political and cultural center
in Syria between 2400/2300 B.C which provoked the jealousy of
Sargon so he destroyed it. Soon afterwards, it was rebuilt once
again and regained its strength between 2000-1800/B.C .
There are thousands of cuneiform
tablets besides the temples, palaces, quarters, and the fine sculptures
which are living evidences its great civilization .
