Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi
قصر الحير الشرقي
Vast Umayyad complex in the steppe northeast of Palmyra built by Caliph Hisham, with two square enclosures, a mosque, a caravanserai and water works.
Deep in the Syrian steppe northeast of Palmyra, near al-Sukhnah, lies Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi, one of the largest Umayyad complexes in the desert, built according to inscriptions under Caliph Hisham in the early 8th century.
It has two neighbouring square enclosures: the larger, called a "city" in its inscription, with a mosque, dwellings, shops and presses; the smaller resembling a fortified caravanserai or palace with half-round towers. An outer wall enclosed fields and orchards.
Its striking gateway with twin towers and stone and brick decoration survives, along with a tall tower thought to be a minaret. Long channels brought water for farming. It remained in use under the Abbasids, Ayyubids and Mamluks before gradual abandonment.
Note: photos may not reflect the site's current condition.
For the visitor
Location: 35.0739, 39.0711 · Open on the map
Photos
Photos: Vyacheslav Argenberg — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY)
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