New: Video circulating on Internet of destroyed ancient area of Aleppo as of December 2016. A man says , ‘Apology to, sorry for Aleppo”, a woman explains, ‘this was once a UNESCO World Heritage Site’, a man names the stores and a mosque. A Russian and Syrian national flag is in the rubble.

NEW: Listen to Resource – BBC Radio 4 on Destruction of Syrian and Iraqi Antiquities

Catastrophic damage of the Citadel, ancient souq, centuries-old palaces and houses has been an on-going tragedy during the Syrian revolution. (See here and end of this article.) Beyond human life, there is heritage; it is fragile and teeters on the brink of destruction.  Human life and history is being destroyed as I write these few sentences. Beyond the horrific pictures, there is my memory; a minuscule record of beautiful Syria.

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Late afternoon at Dar Zamaria’s roof-top restaurant, looking toward the Citadel of Aleppo, in center of the old city of Aleppo.

Aleppo Citadel at night dating back to the 3rd millennium BC.

Follow this link to pre-revolutionary photo journey of 16th-19th century palace/boutique hotels. – -Excerpts from article written for Egypt Today Magazine, May 2009.

Update on destruction of Syrian antiquities :http://academia.edu/3847691/DGAM_-_Damage_Report_June_2013

Destruction of best preserved crusader castle: Krak des Chevaliers

Read more about Syria’s history and archaeology at Monuments of Syria A Window of Syria’s Past by Ross Burns.

Dear Syria, Save Damascus’ Old City

All Photographs and text are under international copyright laws. No re-use without the written permission of Lesley Lababidi 2023.