Fakhr-al-Din al-Maani Castle

Fakhr-al-Din al-Ma'ani Castle
قلعة فخر الدين المعني
Palmyra, Syria

View of the castle
Fakhr-al-Din al-Ma'ani Castle
Coordinates 34°33′45.9″N 38°15′26.8″E / 34.562750°N 38.257444°E / 34.562750; 38.257444
Type Castle
Site information
Condition Intact
Site history
Built 13th century
Built by

Mamluks

Type Cultural
Criteria i, ii, iv
Designated 1980 (4th session)
Part of Site of Palmyra
Reference no. 23
State Party  Syria
Region Arab States
Endangered 2013–present

Fakhr-al-Din al-Ma'ani Castle or Palmyra Castle is a castle in the province of Homs, Syria.

The castle is thought to have been built by the Mamluks in the 13th century[1] on a high hill overlooking the historic site of Palmyra, and is named for the Druze emir Fakhr-al-Din II, who extended the Druze domains to the region of Palmyra during the 16th century.

The site of the castle and Palmyra in 1980 became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of the monumental ruins of a great city, which was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world. The site was designated a national monument in Syria and a buffer zone was established in 2007.[2]

The castle lying on raised bedrock was a well defended position for a fortification with thick and high walls, which was also surrounded by a moat that had only one access available through a drawbridge.

The historic site in 2013 was placed on the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger due to the ongoing Syrian civil war. The Syrian government reported that there have been "illegal excavation acts in unexplored tombs in Palmyra". There are also pictures that appear to show government tanks using the Roman colonnaded road.[3]

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Qasr Ibn Maʿan.
  1. ↑ Warwick Ball, Syria: A Historical and Architectural Guide, 1994. ISBN 1-56656-665-7. p. 228
  2. ↑ "Site of Palmyra". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "Syria's priceless heritage under attack". BBC News. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
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