Syria - Cathedral of St.Simeon Stylite

 This is one of the oldest surviving church complexes, founded in the 5th century.

 

 

It is located approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) northwestern of Aleppo, Syria. 

Located in the region of Qalaat Semaan in Byzantine Syria between the cities of Aleppo and Antioch.

It was constructed on the site of the pillar of Saint Simeon Stylites, a renowned stylite monk. 

San Simeon,  lived most of his life at the top of a sixty
 foot column to pray to God and to get away from believers that came to see him.

The column with the stone, is what was left of the famous column in 1999.

On 28 May 2015, the church was captured by the Kurdish YPG/YPJ and then lost to 

factions opposing the Assad government.
In May 2016, the Russian Air Force attacked the church, damaging the remains of the pillar of St Simeon as well as the rest of the ruins.
On the 8th February 2020, the hilltop near the site was occupied by the Turkish Land Forces.

I wonder what condition its in now.

It was designed in a cruciform made up of four distinct basilica complexes..

 

The basilica was built in 473AD

St Simeon lived on top of this pillar for 37 years.

He was one of the  first of the early Christians to live in this extremely solitary way.

By living on top a pillar he was able to shut himself off from the world .

The first pillar he occupied was three meters tall. He later moved to other higher pillars to get even
further away from people.