© Lonely Planet Publications 132 lonelyplanet.com THE COAST & MOUNTAINS •• Qala’at al-Hosn (Krak des Chevaliers) 133 The Coast & Mountains QALA’AT AL-HOSN (KRAK DES THE COAST & MOUNTAINS km 20 0 ﻗﻠﻌﺔ اﻟﺤﺼﻦ (CHEVALIERS x031 0 12 miles TURKEY اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻞ اﻟﺴﻮري واﻟﺠﺒﺎل Author Paul Theroux described Qala’at al- Kassab Ras al- Yayladaÿi Hosn as the epitome of the dream castle of Bassit To Aleppo childhood fantasies of jousts and armour (92km) Jisr ash- and pennants. TE Lawrence simply called Sughra it ‘the finest castle in the world’. Take their Syria’s 183km-long Mediterranean coastline is dominated by the rugged 250km-long Jebel Anada word for it: the remarkably well-preserved Ash-Shabatliyya Ansariyya mountain range that runs along its entire length. Squeezed between the highland Qala’at al-Hosn (Krak des Chevaliers) is Qala'at Salah Qala'at and the sea is a narrow coastal strip that widens towards the south, where the country is one of Syria’s unmissable attractions. Im- ad-Din Burzei Ugarit extremely fertile and agriculturally rich. pervious to the onslaught of time, it can- (Ras Shamra) Al-Haffa Slunfeh not have looked a great deal different 800 River The port city of Lattakia (Al-Lathqiyya), with its beach resorts, and the ruined ancient years ago, and such is its size and state of Lattakia city of Ugarit (Ras Shamra) lie in the north. Boasting a large population of Alawites and completeness that you could easily spend several hours absorbed in exploring it. A Qardaha Orontes Christians, lively Lattakia is one of Syria’s most vibrant cities, with a buzzing restaurant and Basel A l - torch is handy for some of the darker pas- International G h a b café scene, and a bustling souq and shopping area. It’s also one of the country’s friendliest Airport sages and rooms. Jabla Suqeilibiyya cities, making a stay here lots of fun. The castle is easily visited by public trans- From here roads lead north to Turkey, east across the mountains to Aleppo, and south port as a day trip from Tartus or Hama. Mediterranean However, visiting by car allows for explor- Sea to Tartus, a secondary port that preserves remnants of its medieval Crusader past in its ing the surrounding countryside and hilltop Baniyas ramshackle old town and on the tiny island of Arwad. resort towns, which is highly recommended. To Hama (40km) Anybody passing through en route to Homs, J e b e l A n s a r i y y a The mountains behind Lattakia contain thick forests, which are easy on the eyes after Qadmous Tartus or elsewhere can leave bags and packs Qala'at Musyaf the often-featureless interior. Travellers who have spent time in the cities will find the air at the ticket office. Marqab considerably fresher, too. Following excessive clearing of the forests for timber in the past, the government has laid aside sections for preservation. History Hosn The castle addresses the only significant Tartus Suleiman Of most interest to travellers is that much of this area was in Crusader hands for centuries. Dreikish Kafrun break in the Jebel Ansariyya. Anyone who Arwad Bashur St George's They left behind a chain of spectacular hilltop eyries and precipitously located castles, the held this breach, known as the Homs Gap, Amrit Safita Monastery undisputed king of which is the stalwart Qala’at al-Hosn (Krak des Chevaliers). between the southern end of the range and Qala'at al-Hosn (Krak des Chevaliers) To Homs the northern outreaches of the Jebel Libnan (30km) ash-Sharqiyya (Anti-Lebanon Range), was Al-Hamidiyya HIGHLIGHTS virtually assured authority over inland Syria Arida & MOUNTAINS by controlling the flow of goods and people THE COAST Qala’at al-Hosn Marvel at (Krak des from the ports through to the interior. LEBANON Chevaliers; opposite ), possibly the finest The first fortress that is known to have Crusader castle in the world, as you mosey existed on this site was built by the emir a last outpost. Jerusalem had been lost and around its majestic ruins Qala'at Salah ad-Din of Homs in 1031. He was briefly displaced the Christians were retreating. Numbers in THE COAST THE COAST & MOUNTAINS Kick back for a couple of days in the lively in 1099 by the hordes of the First Crusade the castle, built to hold a garrison of 2000, port town of Lattakia ( p144 ), with its Lattakia passing through on its way to Jerusalem, were depleted to around 200. Surrounded tree-lined boulevards, excellent restaurants, and was then given the complete push some by the armies of Islam and with no hope buzzing cafés and bustling shopping streets 11 years later when the Christian knights, of reprieve, the Crusaders departed after a Speculate on how the temple of Hosn now established in the Holy City, began to month, having negotiated safe conduct to Suleiman ( p142 ) was constructed so high extend their gains throughout the region. head to Tripoli. up in the picturesque mountains Around the middle of the 12th century the Beybars garrisoned the castle with his elite Knights Hospitaller replaced the First Mamluk troops and further strengthened Appreciate why TE Lawrence thought Hosn Crusaders and expanded Qala’at al-Hosn the defences. Today it is possible to dis- Qala’at Salah ad-Din ( p151 ) was the most Suleiman Tartus into its present form. tinguish the Frankish aspects of the castle, awe-inspiring example of castle building The knights built well and, despite re- with their Gothic and Romanesque build- Tartus Qala'at al-Hosn Roam the ramshackle old quarter of (Krak des peated attacks and sieges, the fortress was ing styles, and those of the Arabs – there are ( p137 ), a low-key port town and a pleasant Chevaliers) never truly breached. When the Mamluk some beautiful Islamic geometric designs place to unwind for a couple of days sultan Beybars marched on the castle in carved into structures on the upper levels 1271, the knights at Qala’at al-Hosn were of the main complex. 134 THE COAST & MOUNTAINS •• Qala’at al-Hosn (Krak des Chevaliers) lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com THE COAST & MOUNTAINS •• Qala’at al-Hosn (Krak des Chevaliers) 135 ὈὈὈὈὈὈQALA'AT AL-HOSN (KRAK DES CHEVALIERS) 0 50 m Beybars’ full title, which translates as ‘the are the remains of a well and oven (20), the Manifest King, Pillar of the World and the latter measuring more than 5m in diameter. Faith, Father of the Victory’. This area probably doubled as a storage Walking around between the two walls area and granary, stockpiled with provi- from the southwest tower, you reach the sions against sieges. Tower of the Princess (24) in the northwestern The pillars room (17) has five rows of heavy ὈὈὈὈὈὈὈὈὈ corner, unusual in that it is wider than it is squat pillars and is vaulted with fist-sized 24 Main Entrance.......................1 deep. On the façade are three rows of triple- stones. It may have been used as a refectory. 25 Tower....................................2 pointed arches. A large projecting gallery, Several nearby rooms were warehouses (13, Stables..................................3 from where rocks were hurled at assailants, 14 and 16). In one are the remains of mas- 26 Ramp....................................4 Tower...................................5 is concealed in the face. The eastern face sive pottery oil jars and in another there’s 23 Baths.....................................6 Square Tower.......................7 of this tower has a rear gate opening onto an oil mill, more oil jars and a well. 27 Stables..................................8 21 1 the moat. Back in the courtyard, the chapel (26) has 22 Southwest Tower.................9 ὈὈὈὈὈὈTo RestaurantὈὈὈ Continue walking clockwise to reach a nave of three bays of vaults. It was con- 20 Moat...................................10 al-Qalaa (500m); 19 Warden's Tower..................11 Bebers Hotel a flight of steps leading up into the inner verted to a mosque after the Muslim con- (1.5km); Keep....................................12 18 Warehouse..........................13 fortress. quest and the minbar (pulpit) still remains. 17 2 Warehouse...........................14 The staircase that obstructs the main door 16 Eastern Tower......................15 Warehouse..........................16 GETTING THERE & AWAY Talus is a later addition and leads to the upper اﻟﺤﻤﻴﺪﻳﺔ Pillars Room.........................17 11 14 Tower..................................18 Take the Al-Hamidiyya microbus ( ; floors of the fortress. 12 4 ὈὈὈὈὈὈὈὈὈ15 Courtyard............................19 S£10) from Sharia 6 Tishreen near the train The upper floor of the Tower of the 3 Well & Oven.......................20 13 Vaulted Hall........................21 station in Tartus and ask to be let off at Princess is a café with tea, coffee, cold 9 10 5 Loggia.................................22 ‘al-athaar’ or ‘the ruins’. You’ll be dropped drinks and snacks. There are also toilets Long Room.........................23 8 Tower of the Princess..........24 at the track leading to Amrit, from where up here. From the café you can make your Latrines...............................25 it’s a 2.5km walk, half of it through shaded way over to the round tower in the south- Chapel................................26 7 6 Guards' Quarters................27 pine forest and the rest through orchards, west corner known as the Warden’s Tower ὈὈὈὈὈὈ corn and cacti. You’ll pass an army post (11); this was where the Grand Master of (the firing ranges are a little disconcerting) the Hospitallers had his quarters. From and some 200m further on, immediately the tower’s roof are some magnificent after passing some communications towers, views; on a clear day you can make out Sights this water was used to fill the baths (6), you’ll see the temple remains in the dis- the solitary pale figure of Safita’s keep to The castle (adult/student S£150/10; h9am-6pm which you can get down to by a couple of tance on the left – take the dirt track to the west.