Aleppo Off the Beaten Path Tips by siaki68

The basilica of St. Simeon is situated in the countryside north of Aleppo. St. Simeon was born in 392AD. He was about 20 years old when he decided to quit the life of a shepherd and follow the ascetic life of a monk in a monastery in Telanissos. Soon, he left the monastery to settle on the hills. To avoid the touch of people visiting to seek his blessing for some, or, according to others to get closer to God, he erected a pillar 18 meters high and 2 meters in diameter and spent on the top the rest of his life (hence the name Simon Stylites, from the Greek word “stylos”, pillar). Soon he became famous and hundreds of pilgrims came to hear his preaching twice a day. After his death in 459, a huge church was built around his pillar, with the design of four basilicas arranged in the shape of a cross. Admission 150SP. Open 9am-6pm Wednesday-Monday (April-September), 9am-4pm (October-March).

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The temple of Ain Dara dates back to the 10th century BC. It was dedicated to the Hittite goddess Ishtar and the legend says that the goddess herself visited the temple. As a proof of her visit, she left four 1-meter long footprints at the entrance of the temple. Today, the most impressive site at the Ain Dara (besides the footprints) is a huge statue of a basalt lion standing at the top of the hill. Admission 75SP. Open daily, morning to sunrise.

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Serjila is the most impressive of the Dead Cities, the ghost Byzantine towns that lie south of Aleppo. Strolling around Serjila, you have the feeling that its inhabitants left the town only yesterday, and not 16 centuries ago. At the center of the town, there is a square with a tavern, a bathhouse and a church. Spreading around, the extensive remains of private houses and villas shows how wealthy and prosperous this place was in the past. Admission 75SP.

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Al-Bara, the most extensive of the Dead Cities, was established in the 4th century. Due to its location on the trade route between Antioch and Apamea, soon became an important wine and olive oil center. Among the ruins, there are monasteries, villas and churches, while the most impressive are the pyramid tombs. The land among the ruins it is still densely cultivated with olives and grapes, something that makes walking around a little difficult.

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The Dead City of Jerada is not dead at all. People still make their homes next to the ruins, and the villagers use some of the old houses to keep their animals. The most important sites in Jerada are a 5th century Byzantine cathedral and a big watchtower.

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Ruweiha is impressive and beautiful, but not easy to be visited. Some of the ruins are used by the locals as stockyards for cows and sheep and the presence of guard dogs made my visit to the impressive –of a distance- 6th century Church of Bissos impossible. Still, there are some other interesting ruins and the place worth a visit.

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