Palmyra is ancient city of Syria located in an oasis in the desert, off the road to Baghdad. It is a World Heritage Site. It is known as “Bride of the Desert” and used to a caravan stop for travelers crossing the Syrian desert. It was mentioned in the Old Testament as being fortified by Solomon. It flourished during the Roman times.
There are temple ruins once dedicated to Aramean, Babylonian and Mesopotamian deities.
Palmyra attained prominence in the 3rd century BC when it became a major hub on the main routes of the east-west trade. It was a connection point between the western world and the Orient.
Palmyra was part of the Roman empire during the reign of Tiberius and grew ever more important as a trade route linking Persia, India, China and the Roman empire.
Palmyra was captured by the Muslim Arabs in 634 where a castle was then built atop a hill overlooking the city. This castle is now known as the Arabic Citadel. In 1089, a major earthquake destroyed Palmyra. The ancient city of Palmyra then fell into oblivion and was only rediscovered in 1678 by two English merchants living in Aleppo.
The present day ruins of Palmyra is quite extensive and is testimony to the once grand and flourishing city. Much of the ruins are located around a huge boulevard named the Grand Colonnade. It consists of huge Corinthian columns, monumental arches. Ruins of the agora, senate and a huge theater can still be found. At the end of the Colonnade are the tetrapylon which once served as the main roundabout.
Nearby, one can also visit the Temple of Bel which was dedicated to the supreme God of Gods in those days! There are also some tombs around the site. For those who would like to enjoy a night scene of Palmyra, there are hotels beyond the ruins site.
The nearby modern town of Tadmur is home to about 30,000 residents. You can also find restaurants serving good Arabic food as well as souvenir shops.
Info from Sacred Destinations
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