A'en Darah - Ain Dara - Syria

 Ain Dara, Afrin.

This site is in northern Syria. Administratively, its part of the Afrin District .

It's just north west of Aleppo.

I took a shared Taxi from my hotel.

Ain Dara is a Syro-Hittite temple noted for its similarities to Solomon's Temple (1000 - 900BC) in Jerusalem, which was described in the Hebrew Bible.

Ain Dara dates to around 1300BC to 740BC which puts it in the later part of the bronze age.

The site was discovered in 1955 . The site is on the summit of a small hill. As you walk to the top, you can see the layers of history....3000 years !

The Lion of Afrin

The massive basalt lion was one of the first things discovered in 1955

It's 3.3m tall. Its role was to guard the gateway to this special place.

Sadly, this lion is now gone.... probably smuggled across into Turkey.

Apparently, it was looted by a Turkism backed militia. (Al-Hamzat ) in Dec 2019.

"On December 20th [2019], the Turkish army and its mercenaries attacked Afrin with tanks, 

artillery and jets causing massive  destruction of the city....Recent footage of a military exercise by a pro-Turkish militia (National Liberation Front) who established a  shooting range against the archaeological hill of Ain Dara in the occupied Afrin province invaded and controlled by Turkish forces and their proxy militias last year, revealed the tragic disappearance of the famous historical masterpiece known as The Lion of Afrin. 

Ain Dara itself was targeted by Turkish jets in 2018 as Turkish units and their proxy forces advanced on the area known for its archaeological wealth that featured one of the world's oldest temples often compared in significance to the Temple of Solomon... The disappearance of the Lion of Afrin marks another war crime against Syrian history and humanity at large."

https://www.insideover.com/society/lion-of-afrin-victim-of-archaeological-mafias-and-war-criminals.html

Note that the decorative works are on just one side .

The other side was probably connected to a wall, or column, so was left plain.

Massive footprints were carved into the floor; whether of giants, humans or animals is debatable.

Notice, that there are actually 3 footprints at the entrance to the building.

One pair of footprints can be found on the floor of the portico, followed by a single footprint.

There is also another single footprint at the threshold of the main hall. 

The distance between the two single footprints is about 30 feet.

The implication being that a stride of 30 feet would belong to a giant (or ‘god’) about 65 feet tall.

Who was this temple dedicated to ???

 Ain Dara may have been devoted to Ishtar, goddess of fertility,

or to the related female goddess Astarte.

The temple is rectangular in plan, about 65 feet wide by 98 feet long. 

Built on a large raised platform, the temple consists essentially of three rooms: 

a porch; an antechamber and a main hall

I understand that the pic above is of the God Hatnor (Hat'ter in Egypt)

The building was once covered with rows of basalt reliefs of sphinxes, lions,

 mountain gods and large clawed creatures whose feet alone remain.

...

Update:

According to the Assad government, In late January 2018, the temple was significantly damaged by 

Turkish Air Force jets in the course of their Afrin offensive.

Reports indicate that at least 60% percent of the structure was reduced to rubble.

From some photos and video released online, it seems that the entire front facade of the temple has been destroyed. 

For more travel postcards click here:

http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/travel-postcards-index-my-travel.html

* Syria

   -  Aleppo 

   -  The Baron Hotel - Aleppo Syria

   -  Safita - Syria - The White Tower 

   -  Citadel of Salah Ed-Din - Syria

   -  Palmyra (the Roman City)

   -  Ugarit - Ancient ruins.

   -  Al-Bara - Syria - dead cities

   -  Syrgilla - syria - dead cities 

   -  National Museum of Damascus & army museum

   -  Krak des Chevaliers - Syria

   -  Tartus - Syria - seaside city 

   -  A'en Darah - Ain Dara - Syria - Lion of Afrin

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.

Krak des Chevaliers - Syria

 Krak des Chevaliers is approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of the city of Homs, 

close to the border of Lebanon.

 

This pic was taken from a bus on its way to Homs from Damascus.

 

 

This is one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world.

Well, at least it was until the recent war.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26696113

 

 

The Crac des Chevaliers was built by the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem from 1142 to 1271. With further construction by the Mamluks in the late 13th century, it ranks among the best-preserved examples of the Crusader castles.

 

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The inside of the krak de C..

 

 

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i CAME across some more recent pics of the Krak De C recently.
So sad to see this damage. The Syrian war has been so hard on people and history

                               1999                                                                        2016??

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A few quick sketches from the taxi. Magnificent place !