High on the limestone ridge of the Jebel al-A'la, in the north west of Syria near the Turkish border, stands one of the most beautiful early Christian churches anywhere. The basilica of Qalb Lozeh was built in the second half of the fifth century, probably as a pilgrimage church on the route to the shrine of Saint Simeon Stylites, the hermit who spent decades living on top of a pillar not far to the east. Its facade, with a great arch flanked by two towers, is one of the earliest examples of a design that would later be repeated in the Romanesque churches of Europe. The church is part of the Ancient Villages of Northern Syria, a UNESCO site listed in 2011, which includes some forty villages abandoned between the eighth and tenth centuries, often known as the Dead Cities.
These villages, scattered across the limestone hills between Aleppo and Idlib, were prosperous farming communities in late antiquity, growing olives, grapes and grain and exporting oil and wine across the Mediterranean. When trade routes shifted and the region's economy declined, they were gradually abandoned, and their stone houses, churches, olive presses and tombs were left standing, remarkably well preserved, in the dry hills.
The honest truth is that this region has been at the heart of Syria's long war, and for years it was off limits to visitors, with fighting, destruction and humanitarian crisis. The political situation in the country has changed since late 2024, but conditions remain uncertain, and many governments still advise strongly against travel. Anyone thinking of visiting should check the latest official advice and seek local knowledge. Several of the ancient sites have been damaged, and some are used as shelters by displaced families.
On a map, the area lies close to the Turkish border town of Reyhanlı, and the landscape on both sides is similar, with red soil, olive groves and grey limestone hills. If and when it becomes possible to ride here safely, the roads through the hills offer an unforgettable journey through a landscape of ancient ruins, with columns and arches standing among the olive trees. Until then, the photographs and the books will have to do, and the thought that this extraordinary place has survived so much is reason enough to hope.