The Great Colonnade
Running across stony ground.
Frank Kidner — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Vyacheslav Argenberg — CC BY 4.0 · Ed Brambley from Cambridge, UK — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Dosseman — CC BY-SA 4.0 · James Gordon from Los Angeles, California, USA — CC BY 2.0
Palmyra is the remains of a great caravan city in central Syria, in the desert beside a large oasis, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1980. It was among the most famous cities of the ancient world, known for blending Greco-Roman art with local traditions. Its sheer extent remains an unforgettable sight. It appears in documents from the early 2nd millennium BC and came under Rome in the 1st century AD. It grew wealthy on caravans, and its merchants set up colonies along the Silk Road and across the Roman Empire. Its wealth paid for the Great Colonnade, the Temple of Bel and the distinctive tower tombs, and its people spoke Palmyrene Aramaic and Greek. You see the Great Colonnade running across stony ground, the remains of the theatre, and on the hill Fakhr al-Din Castle looking over it all. Large parts have been damaged, however, including the Temple of Bel and the Monumental Arch, destroyed in 2015, and some photos here show the site before then. Expect a scene that differs from older images. It is about 144 km in a straight line from Homs and needs a car, a driver and arrangements in advance. Summer heat is fierce, so go early in the morning and carry plenty of water. We could not confirm the current rules for entry. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Syria, and British consular help is not available there, so check official guidance before making any plans.
Running across stony ground.
Looking down from the hill.
A distinctive Palmyrene form.
Near the city of Tadmur, Homs Governorate, Syria
No, most of it was destroyed in 2015, and some photos here show the site before then.
It is best to arrange it in advance with a licensed operator, as the site is remote and we could not confirm the current rules.