Krak des Chevaliers

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Krak des Chevaliers (also "Crac des Chevaliers" - 'Castle of the Knights') located near Homs in Syria is widely recognised as the archetypal Crusader castle. Described by T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia) as "perhaps the best preserved and most wholly admirable castle in the world", this somewhat isolated site is located magnificently (750 m or 2300 ft above sea level) and is, indeed, extremely well-preserved. Today it represents one of the premier tourist attractions in central Syria.

Opening hours: 9 am - 6 pm (summer), 9 am - 4 pm (winter). The usual Syrian government practice of closing Tuesdays is generally ignored for Krak des Chevaliers, on account of its popularity as a tourist destination - that said, in the middle of winter, it's a good idea to phone the ticket office ahead of time just to check.... 740 002.

	krak des chevaliers Travel Guide : 1 Understand 2 Get in / Get out 3 Get around 4 See 5 Do 6 Buy 7 Eat 8 Sleep 9 External links

Understand

Krak des Chevaliers was the easternmost of five Crusader fortifications guarding the only major pass (known as the 'Homs Gap' in the Orontes river Valley) between Antakya in Turkey and Beirut in the Lebanon. The castle was built and expanded at Qal'at al-Hisn by the Order of the Knights of St John in the years between 1142 and 1271. It covers 3 hectares in area and, at the height of its powers, it housed a garrison of up to 4000 men. The castle held out against several fierce attacks (including one by the famous Saladin), and was rumoured to be impregnable. The Krak, however, was eventually lost by the naive crusaders to the Mamluk Sultan Baybars in 1271, who tricked the defenders into abandoning the castle by means of a faked letter from the Crusader Count of Tripoli.

The castle has two main parts: an outer wall with 13 towers and an inner wall and keep. The two walls are separated by a moat (now full of stagnant water), which was used to fill the baths and water the horses. Walk through the main entrance, an imposing gate in the 5m (16ft) thick wall and past the towers which defended the castle, and you enter a courtyard. A corridor covered in delicate carvings leads to a large vaulted hall, where you can see an old oven, a well and some latrines. The chapel in the courtyard was converted to a mosque after Sultan Baybars captured the castle - it still retains its pulpit (mihrab). The top floor of the Tower of the Daughter of the King is now a café with great views.

Get in / Get out

Krak des Chevaliers is an easy day trip from Tartus or Hama, the latter city being the most attrative base from which to visit, if somewhat more distant (one-way microbus trip just under 2 hours). Buses also run from Homs and will drop visitors off at the castle. Bus fares are less than US$1 and the trip takes less than an hour each way. Some hotels in Damascus offer bus trips to the castle, but it constitutes a very long day out for the one site.

On the whole, it's best to arrive early - by mid-late morning the castle can be almost submerged in hordes of tourists coached up from Damascus.... Sunrise is also a great time to enjoy the view of the castle in a magnificent light. Ditto sunset.

Get around

Once at the castle, mostly on foot...

See

The castle! (Plan to put a commentary / guide here in this section)

Do

• Take a torch / flashlight with you when visiting the castle, as there are many interesting but dark tunnels and rooms within the walls.

• Take care when exploring the castle: there are many places to fall off or into!

• Do check the last bus times if you intend to return to your point of departure - otherwise you could get stuck at the castle overnight!

Buy

Admission to the Krak for travelers is £S300. Students £S15. Postcards, booklets and souvenirs are available to purchase at the ticket office and in the various restaurants nearby.

Eat

• Restaurant al-Qalaa - Housed in a solitary white two-storey building about 1 km south west of the castle on the adjacent hill top (follow the road west of the castle). Magnificent views. The good quality meals are based around grilled chicken and mezze and cost around £S 250 each. Alcohol available. tel: 740 493, 740 003.

• Des Chevaliers - Opposite the castle entrance. Convenient, therefore, but serves fairly mediocre buffet meals of mezze, chicken, meat and fruit, £S 250 a head or £S 150 for vegetarian options. Features a pleasant shaded patio for outdoor dining. tel: 740 411

• Castle Restaurant - a new place in 2005 located inside the actual castle. The dining is in one of the towers on the top level of the keep. As you might expect from a restaurant in such a cool place, the food is pretty mediocre, though the prices weren't unreasonable. Offers the standard mezze and meats. The view is very nice.

Sleep

• Bebers Hotel - Opened for business recently (2001). Rooms are neat and appealing, all with ensuite bathrooms. Most have magnificent balcony views of the castle Singles US$20, doubles US$25. tel: 741 201.

External links

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