Syria Off the Beaten Path Tips by albateh

Krak Des Chevaliers-Homs:

The castle of the Kurds (Hisn Al-Akrad) or the castle of the knights, Le Crak Des chevaliers, as known in the west, is one of the best medieval monuments in Syria; it was built first in 1031.
The castle lies on a hill some 750m above sea level. 30km from Homs and 20km from Tal-Kalakh.
The total area of the castle is 300 000sq.m, it is a castle within a castle, the two castles being separated by a moat, and the whole structure is surrounded by a second moat.
The outer castle is self-sufficient. It consists of several stores and in it are the halls, stables, and guardrooms. It was provided with13 towers of different shapes: circular, square and rectangular. It was surrounded by a moat and supported from the outside by glacis. It had several gates.

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The main entrance to the castle is on the east side, its high above the ground and there used to be a draw-bridge whose foundations are still to be seen today. On the main door there is an inscription in Arabic consisting of three unequal lines framed by 2 lion figures. The writing indicates its restoration by sultan Baibars. This door leads into a roofed corridor fortified loopholes, towers and several doors. Next comes a tower between 2 walls with its doors facing the moat.

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This is a very strong door consisting of two leaves followed by a portcullis that slides up and down and opening on the top from which boiling oil may be poured.

Crossing the inner moat by a narrow bridge, one comes to the Arab baths on the left. These are built in the usual stile of Arab baths. They are followed by a circular tower built by king Al-Zaher on the ruins of a square tower when the castle was being restored

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