Qasr al-Heer al-Sharqi

Qasr al-Heer al-Sharqi (Eastern al-Heer Palace or the "Eastern Castle") is located in the middle of the Syrian Desert 10 kilometers (6 mi) away from al-Sukhnah and 100 kilometers (62 mi) from Sergiopolis (Rusafa). It was built by Umayyad caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik in 728-29 CE in an area rich in desert fauna. It was said to be used as a military and hunting outpost. The palace is the counterpart of Qasr al-Heer al-Gharbi, another nearby castle palace built one year earlier.

Architecture

The palace consists of a large open courtyard surrounded by thick bulwarks and towers guarding the entrances as well as each corner. The palace consists of two square structures, the bigger one has a diameter of 300m and the lesser one 100m. It is found at the slopes of Bishri Mountain near Palmyran Middle Mountains. The palace(s) contain remnants of rooms, arches and columns seem to be parts of a huge complex of royal premises. Some of the decorated parts are moved to Damascus National Museum.

The bigger palace has been several floors, with a huge gate and many towers. Towers were not built as defensive measures. There were also olive yards. The palaces were supplied with water by nearby byzantine church by a canal 5700m long. The palaces contained bathrooms, water reservoirs, mosques and gardens.

World Heritage Status

This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on June 8th, 1999 in the Cultural category.

References

SyriaGate - Eastern Castle

See also

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