Sights

Great Mosque of Al Nuri

This mosque is said to stand on the site of the Temple of Baal, and a later Church of St. John. The columns used in this mosque are of the oldest objects in this city.

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Church of St. Elias (Mar Elian)

In 1970 a collection of fine murals were discovered in the crypt beneath a coat of plaster. This church dates back to the 6th Century AD and was built in dedication to the son of a Roman officer who was martyred in the 3rd century for refusing to renounce Christianity.

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The Citadel

Little remains of this citadel, which was destroyed in the 1830s by Ibrahim Pasha. It is located in the southwestern part of the city, on a natural mound surrounded by a moat. The mound is now off-limits. This citadel played an important role in the history of Homs especially under the Nourite, Ayyubite, and Mameluke states, the Ayyubites in particular.
The very important point that the citadel stands on the site of the Temple of Baal (sun god).

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Carc des Chevaliers (Qal'at al-Hosn)

Carc des Chevaliers
photo by: Akef D. Sibai

The most famous medieval citadel in the world, Qal'at al-Hosn is 65 km west of Homs . It is 650 m above sea-level. It was built in order to control the so-called "Homs Gap", the gateway to Sryia. It was through this passage that Syria communicated with the Mediterranean .

 In ancient times the importance of this strategic corridor was immense. It was of crucial importance to the Crusaders and other foreign invaders in their conquest of the coast. Conflict over the Crac des Chevaliers continued through the ages. It was a fierce and bloody dispute, but more..

type:	Castles
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openingHours:	0800 am to 0600pm
address:	65 km west of Homs

Zihrawi Palace

Zihrawi Palace
photo by: Akef

One of the most famous ancient buildings in Homs is the al Zihrawi palace, which has been turned into a museum for popular traditions.

type:	Palaces
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openingHours:	0800 am to 0500pm

Church of Umm Al Zunnar (the Virgin's Girdle)

Umm Al Zunnar Church
photo by: MGTPorto

In 1953 a textile belt was found here under the altar, it is said to have belonged to the Virgin Mary. The current building only dates back to the 19th century but a 4th Century Church used to be on this site and it is believed that the textile belt was placed here.

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Mosque of Khaled Ibn Al-Walid

Mosque of Kahed Ibn Walid
photo by: MGTPorto

The Ottoman style mosque was built directly before the First World War and holds the tomb of the great Muslim leader Khaled Ibn Al Walid.

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Souks of Homs

The souks of Homs are located in the ancient part of the city and occupy a large area. Most parts of the souk were constructed during the Ayyubite, Mameluke, and Ottoman periods. There are a few baths also dating back to these periods including the Small Hammam, Al Assayati Hammam and the Ottoman Hammam. Of the most famous ancient buildings in Homs is the al Zihrawi palace, which has been turned into a museum for popular traditions.

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Qattina lake

The Qattina lake is 15 km from Homs, it is rich in fish, and has the first rainwater dam used in agriculture which dates back to the 2nd millennium BC . Close to this lake is the archaeological hill called Tel Ennabi Mand ( Qadesh ), where a historic battle took place between the Hittites and the Egyptians in the 13th century BC. Historical Sites of Homs

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