Syria

Ancient villages of Northern Syria

WHS Score 3.09
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Votes for Ancient villages of Northern Syria

2.0

  • Mikko

2.5

  • Lucio
  • Philipp Leu
  • SaoDies

3.0

  • Eric Lurio
  • Gernot
  • Jon Opol
  • Krijn
  • Pieter Dijkshoorn

3.5

  • Alexander Lehmann
  • Lameduck99

4.0

  • Argo
  • bergecn
  • Juropa
  • Westwards

5.0

  • Dutchnick
  • Fmaiolo@yahoo.com
  • Riomussafer
  • Roger Ourset

The Ancient villages of Northern Syria are the remains of rural societies from late Antiquity and early Christianity.

The inhabitants of this limestone mountain landscape gradually converted to Christianity. They were inspired by hermits such as Saint Simeon, who drew lots of pilgrims. Some 40 abandoned villages are included with often well-preserved monuments. Notable elements include the Church of Saint Simeon Stylites, Serjilla, an early Byzantine town, and the Pyramidal tombs at Al-Bara.

Community Perspective: This can be done as a day trip from Aleppo on private transport. It used to be quite popular under the name “Dead Cities” with intrepid tourists. The area however was ‘closed’ since the Syrian Civil War as it was in SDF territory, and is only now (2025) slowly reopening.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Ancient villages of Northern Syria (ID: 1348)
Country
Syria
Status
Inscribed 2011 Site history
History of Ancient villages of Northern Syria
2013: In Danger
Together with all 5 other Syrian WHS, due to Civil War
2011: Inscribed
Inscribed
2010: Incomplete - not examined
2010: Revision
Includes former TWHS Qal' at Sem'an (Saint-Syméon), Al Refada and L'église de Qalbe Loze (1999), Sarjaleh / Sergilla (1995, 1999), Carqabis (1995) and Sit el Roum (1995)
In Danger
Together with all 5 other Syrian WHS, due to Civil War Since 2013
WHS Type
Cultural
Criteria
  • iii
  • iv
  • v
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
Related Resources
News Article
  • Nov. 12, 2020 dailysabah.com — Unable to find proper shelter, displaced Syrians settle in Idlib's ancient ruins
  • March 23, 2018 naharnet.com — Syria Says Saint Maron's Tomb 'Destroyed' in Turkish Raids
  • May 19, 2016 whc.unesco.org — UNESCO deplores severe damage at Church of Saint Simeon
  • Nov. 5, 2015 en.abna24.com — Terrorists destroy UNESCO WHS of al-Bara, northern Syria
  • April 11, 2015 ibtimes.co.uk — Female Jihadists set up anti-Assad training camp in world's oldest Byzantine church to 'empower women'

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Archaeological site: Near Eastern
  • Cultural Landscape: Relict
Travel Information
Red Zone Travel Advisory
News
dailysabah.com 11/12/2020
Unable to find proper shelter, dis…
naharnet.com 03/23/2018
Syria Says Saint Maron's Tomb 'Des…
whc.unesco.org 05/19/2016
UNESCO deplores severe damage at C…

Community Reviews

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First published: 28/11/16.

Michael Novins

Ancient villages of Northern Syria

Ancient villages of Northern Syria (Inscribed)

Ancient villages of Northern Syria by Michael Novins

I visited Syria largely by public transportation in May 2009. After taking a bus from Palmyra to Aleppo, with a stop in Homs, I checked into the Baron Hotel, the oldest hotel in Syria, where I stayed in room 203, the same room where Agatha Christie wrote the first part of "Murder on the Orient Express." Mr. Walid, the Baron's renowned manager, organized a car and driver for a day trip to several nearby sites, including Serjilla and al-Bara (and its Tombeaux pyramidaux), two of the Ancient Villages of Northern Syria. During that same day trip, I visited Apamea to see its Great Colonnade, the main colonnaded avenue which runs for more than a mile and is among the longest and best preserved ancient Roman streets, and Hama to see its Norias, enormous water power wheels. Apamée (Afamia) and the Noréas de Hama are on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. For anyone interested in World Heritage Sites, there are very few days that can rival this day trip from Aleppo (itself a World Heritage Site), but it may be a long time before it can be safely repeated.

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First published: 29/08/10.

Anonymous

Ancient villages of Northern Syria

Ancient villages of Northern Syria (Inscribed)

Ancient villages of Northern Syria by Argo

I visited Sergilla and othe villages in the reagon for 3 days from 18th till 21st August 2010. I was not aware of it's existance and I was surprised. The society, that built thiese villages roughly 1500 years back, were using skills long forgotten. Till date building fully made of rock exist.

Sergilla is also an earthquake area, still many building are standing after such a long time.

Maybe it was not the best time to travell, August is the hotest month and it was Ramadan aswell. Late fall or spring must be better.

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