Lattakia Full Day

Ugarit  

Nowadays called Ras Shamra ("Headland of Fennel" in Arabic), 16 km to the north of Lattakia, Ugarit was the kingdom that had a golden past in administration, education, diplomacy, law, religion and economics, between the16^th and 13^th centuries BC. Ugarit is one of the few Bronze Age sites in the Middle East which offers identifiable remains to the casual visitor and not simply to the specialist.

It has been described as "probably the first great international port in history". From this site in ancient times, a good deal of the Eastern Mediterranean's trade with Mesopotamia was conducted; and much of the later Phoenician commercial and cultural expansion took its inspiration, not least through the development of the alphabet. Yes, it is the kingdom that gave humanity the first alphabet in the world. Experts have confirmed the connection between this alphabet and other alphabets in common use nowadays. This alphabet is still preserved on a clay tablet at the National Museum in Damascus.

Qal'at Salah al-Din

Formerly "Saone"' (and still known as Castle Sahyou), it was recently named after the great hero of Islam, Shalh al-Din, to commemorate the capture of the fortress in 1188. Though the importance of the position had been exploited before the Crusaders, this castle was described as the most impregnable Crusader fortress.

It stands on a rocky spur whose vertical walls rise above the junction of two fast flowing streams. As late as 1965, it was impossible to reach it except on foot or on horseback by a difficult climb, first downhill and then up again after fording a stream. The fortress was completely isolated from the plateau by a deep ditch 156 m long, 18m wide and 28m deep. Its vertical walls show a smooth, fine yellowish rock surface. Today there is a drawbridge and a road which provide easy access to the foot of this eagle's nest. Visitors can park their cars at the bottom of this ditch, opposite the horse's mangers and hitching holes carved out of the rock.

Qal'at al-Marqab

This citadel is only 6 km south-east of Banyas, and is 500 m above sea level. It is enormous: there are not less than 14 square and round towers jutting from the curtain wall that encircles the hilltop to form a triangular bastion. Its southern corner, sharper than the others and bristling with defences, has a keep rising above it like the prow of a ship. What makes it particularly eye catching is the black basalt stone with which it was built. This citadel could accommodate 1000 people for five years. It was not until 1285 that the troops of Sultan Qalaun defeated the last of the European knights at Margat (Marqab). The Hospitalier Knights were granted "the honours of war"' and allowed to withdraw under safe conduct to Tartus and Tripoli. There is an Arabic inscription under the keep, commemorating this great victory.

Pick-up from hotel at 9 am. Visit to the fortresses of Marqab and Salah al-Din, and the site of Ugarit.