Remarkable Landmarks in Aleppo and Syria's Northern and Coastal Areas

Citadel of Aleppo: The Formidable

The Citadel of Aleppo is a grand military landmark in the centre of the old city of Aleppo. It is considered to be one of the oldest and largest castles in the world. Usage of the Citadel hill dates back at least to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. This citadel has passed through many civilizations such as Greeks, Byzantines, Ayyubids, and Mamluks. For advanced warfare defense tactics, underground passageways that connect to the advance towers were excavated under this castle.

The Mighty Margat Citadel

This mighty castle was built from basalt in 1062. The Margat Citadel, is known as Marqab (Castle of the Watchtower in Arabic). This castle was a Crusader fortress and one of the major strongholds of the Knights Hospitallers crusade order near the city of Banyas. This fort is located on a hill about 500 meters above sea level; this hill was formed by an extinct Volcano and overlooks the Mediterranean. The earliest existing defenses were built in 1062 by Saracens, whom had continued to hold it within the principality of Antioch in the aftermath of the First Crusade.