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Qala'at Abou Qoubeis

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HobWahid
HobWahid
First Reviewer
3 out of 5
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1
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Qala'at Abou Qoubeis

  • January 26, 2005
  • Rated 3 of 5 by HobWahid from Damascus, Syria
Qala'at Abou Qoubeis

There is really no other way to say it, Syria is overflowing with Crusader castles. In the coastal mountains and in the area around Hamah, they are literally every 50km. Seeing all of the castles that exist in Syria is an endeavor that could easily take the better part of a year. I have been in Syria for nearly 6 months, and I still haven’t seen all of the castles that this wonderful country has to offer, and it is not like I didn’t try. Most likely, if you are the casual visitor to Syria, you will have 2 weeks or so to see the major sights of Syria, and thus some of the great castles, like Qalaat al-Kahf or Qalaat Abou Qoubeis, will fall by the wayside. It is inevitable. It is, I suppose, the curse that Syria bears for being one of the cradles of civilization--its sights are so numerous that one could spend years seeing them, but most tourists have no more than 2 weeks, and therefore the lesser monuments, the monuments that, if they existed in almost any other country would be counted as tourism gems, remain hidden and unseen by the eyes of the casual visitor. However, in that rare case where a tourist has more than 2 weeks, a month perhaps, to tour this treasury of archeological gold, that tourist has the chance discover that these lesser sights are by no means “lesser.” They have plenty to give, but when put against the weight of Krak des Chavaliers or Palmyra, they stand no chance. Qalaat Abou Qoubeis is one of these places. It is a place that I would never tell the casual visitor that he must see, but it is a place that, if you have the time, can provide you with a magical experience.

Of all the castles in the Hama region, Abou Qoubeis probably provides you with the best views of the Orontes Valley and the fertile al-Ghab plains, provided that they are not covered in fog. It is located high above a small village of the same name, on the edge of the Jebel Ansariye. The town itself is actually quite nice, with a few small waterfalls and some old churches that are worth a look. The castle itself is not the best preserved in Syria. There is no noticeable entrance, and don’t expect anyone to come and collect money from you. Instead, Abou Qoubeis sits on its perch alone, and it is you who has to scramble up the rocks to reach it. Once you find the one crack in the wall that lets you into the castle, you will find various rooms, towers, and piles of rocks to climb on to get the best views. There no one thing that makes the castle outstanding, but the combination of its isolation, the view, and the chance to sit atop its walls, stare out across the valley, and just have a minute to yourself makes the castle worth it.

From journal Hama and the Orontes Valley

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