Orontes

Deir al-Salib دير الصليب

There are two sets of church remains in the vicinity of Deir al-Salib (‘Monastery of the Cross’). Just at the entrance to the village (north side) lies the church dubbed by Butler ‘West church’. Much of the structure including the semi-domed apse and the side walls survive along with a mausoleum structure on the northwest […]

Hama حماة

Hama in Central Syria lies on the banks of the Orontes River. Once its huge waterwheels (of which around 16 survive, most in working order) lifted water from the river to feed the town and the irrigated fields around. Today the river level fluctuates, often falling below the level needed to drive the vanes of […]

Homs حمص

Homs lies 165 km to the north of Damascus and is an important hub on the country’s transport systems. It lies on the Orontes River though the stream plays little role in the urban landscape. A city with a long history reaching back to Roman times, the visitor will not be immediately struck by the […]