Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ψ 23
727+(6($
O
Tartus is the second largest port city on the Syrian coast with the inhabited island of Arwad
located a few kilometers off shore. On the way to the city we passed Marqab Castle, located
on a hill formed by an extinct volcano. From its inception the castle went through a number
of hands and was to become one of the early Crusader fortifications.
In 1186 it was taken over by the Hospitallers and after some rebuilding and expansion it be-
came their headquarters in Syria.
Under Hospitaller control, the castle's fourteen towers were thought to be impregnable;
Saladin besieged the castle in 1188 but was unable to capture it, and it was one of the few
remaining territories left in Christian hands after Saladin's conquests.
Margat was second in size in power only to the other Hospitaller fortress, Krak des Chevali-
ers.
It was late in the day and we went looking for a meal. We walked along the waterfront look-
ing for a recommended eatery, while the smell of sewage wafted over us in gentle waves.
No matter how inviting the water may look on a sunny day, I wouldn't dare go for a swim.
There was some agreement on that point and there was a similar agreement about eating any
fish for dinner. In the event we had a vegetarian pizza, something nice and safe (we hoped).
On the way back to the hotel there was a gathering of men who appeared to be playing
bridge. They were in a large glass-fronted auditorium that held about 20 tables that each sat
six players. I got the impression that it was a kind of clubhouse. There was a veranda that
fronted the street and some men were relaxing on cane chairs watching the people go by.
The history of Tartus goes back to the 2 nd millennium BC when it was a Phoenician colony.
The city was later favored by Emperor Constantine for its devotion to the cult of the Virgin
Mary and it is said that the first chapel to be dedicated to the Virgin was built here in the 3 rd
Century.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search