LATTAKIA
- City Information
Latakia is Syria's main seaport on the Mediterranean (186kb southwest of Aleppo).
It has retained its importance since ancient times. Latakia was one of the five
cities built by Saluqos Nikator in the 2nd century B.C. He named it after his
mother Luadetia.
Not many ancient remains have survived in Latakia, but there are four columns
and a Roman arch from the time of Septimus Severus (circa 200 A.D.), in addition
to a beautiful Ottoman construction called "Khan al-Dukhan", which is
now a museum.
Latakia is the sea-gate to Syria. It is well provided with accommodation, and
is well placed as a base from which to explore the coastal regions of the country.
There are beaches, mountains, archaeological sites and many relies of the Crusaders,
all within a few hours from each other.
Mention should also be made of the historically important Ras Shamra, only 16K
to the north of Latakia. This is the site of Ugarit, the kingdom that had a golden
past in administration, education, diplomacy, law, religion and economics between
the 16th and 13th centuries B.C. It is the kingdom that gave humanity the first
alphabet in the world. This alphabet is still preserved on a clay tablet at the
National Museum in Damascus.
Documents, statues and jewels from the Ugarit kingdom are also on display at the
Latakia, Aleppo and Tartus museums.
Jableh is another Syrian seaside town, 28km to the south of Latakia.
It has a theatre built to accommodate 7,000 to 8,000 spectators. Close to Jableh
is Tel Sokas, where archaeological relics were recently found, now on exhibition
at the Damascus and Tartus museums.
Banyas :
This city is located on the Syrian
coast, 55km to the south of Latakia. It was an ancient Phoenician seaport. The
Greeks called it Balemia. It was famous for its orchards and its export of wood.
Today it is better known for its oil refinery. It still contains citrus fruit
orchards surrounded by green hills. On one of the hills is the imposing al-Marqab
Citadel, a huge fortress of black basalt stone.
Tartus :
The second most important Syrian
seaport on the Mediterranean (90 km to the south of Latakia). It was called Antaradus
by the Phoenicians and Torrusa by the Byzantines. Tortusa was to become one of
the main supply ports for the Crusaders and a military base of considerable importance.
It was held by the Templars, but recovered by Saladin in 1188.
The arches, wall-towers and narrow lanes in Tartus evoke what the town must have
been like in medieval times. A jewel of Romanesque art is the cathedral of Tartus,
which is now a museum containing relics from various Syrian civilizations.
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