Citadel of Homs

Citadel of Homs

Overview:

• It is a historic building now mostly ruined in Homs, based on a natural mound surrounded by a trench.

• It is the oldest area inhabited by humans in the city of "Homs". Its location on a conical hill helped it to secure protection for its residents and colonists since the Roman era. It was a model for defensive cities at the time, as pottery fragments were found in it dating back to the second half of the third millennium BC., that is, to about the year 2400 BC.

Historic overview:

• The castle played an important role in the Nouri, Ayyubid and even Mamluk periods. One of the most important princes who succeeded it was Al Malik Al-Mujahid Shirkuh.

• The citadel resembles the "Aleppo Citadel" in the shape of the hill on which it is built, and the shape of the defenses. Excavations have revealed the presence of a deep cistern inside it.

• The Citadel Mosque, which was also called the "Sultan's Mosque", was famous for containing a copy of the Ottoman Qur'an sent by "Othman bin Affan" to Homs. This Qur’an was kept in the “Citadel Mosque” until people feared losing it, so they transferred it to “Khalid Ibn Al-Walid” mosque, and it remained there for a period of time until “Djemal Pasha Al-Saffah” seized it and transferred it to Constantinople.

Architectural Description:

• “Homs Citadel” rises about 32 m from the level of the public road, and about 495 m from the sea level. It was surrounded by a defensive trench and the city wall, which extended from Bab al-Turkman in the west, to Bab Al Sebaa in the south.

• From the inside, the "Homs Citadel" looks like a miniature royal city, with housing, warehouses, a mosque, and everything needed for the residence and defense of the ruler and his entourage.

Resources:

esyria.sy website

zamanalwsl website

discover-syria website

cometosyria website

homsstory website

The website of the Syrian Ministry of Tourism

tripadvisor website

thenewalphabet website

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