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Coordinates: 35°4′26″N 39°4′16″E / 35.07389°N 39.07111°E / 35.07389; 39.07111
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[[File:Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi.jpg|thumb|300px|The palace Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi]]
[[File:Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi.jpg|thumb|300px|The palace Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi]]


'''Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi''' (Eastern al-Hayr Palace or the "Eastern Castle") is a castle (''qasr'') in the middle of the [[Syrian Desert]]. It was built by the [[Umayyad]] [[caliph]] [[Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik]] in 728-29 CE in an area rich in [[desert]] fauna.<ref name=constable56>{{cite book |title=Housing the Stranger in the Mediterranean World: Lodging, Trade, and Travel in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages |last=Constable |first=O.R. |year=2003 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-521-81918-0 |page=56}}</ref> It was apparently used as a military and hunting outpost.<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1298/ Un Château du désert: Qasr al-Hayr ach-Charqi - UNESCO World Heritage Centre].</ref> The palace is the counterpart of [[Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi]], a nearby castle palace built one year earlier.<ref name=constable56/>
'''Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi''' (Eastern al-Hayr Palace or the "Eastern Castle") is a castle (''qasr'') in the middle of the [[Syrian Desert]]. It was built by the [[Umayyad]] [[caliph]] [[Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik]] in 728-29 CE in an area rich in [[desert]] fauna.<ref name=constable56>{{cite book |title=Housing the Stranger in the Mediterranean World: Lodging, Trade, and Travel in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages |last=Constable |first=O.R. |year=2003 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-521-81918-0 |page=56}}</ref> It was apparently used as a military and hunting outpost.<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1298/ Un Château du désert: Qasr al-Hayr ach-Charqi - UNESCO World Heritage Centre] {{wayback|url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1298/ |date=20090213000000 }}.</ref> The palace is the counterpart of [[Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi]], a nearby castle palace built one year earlier.<ref name=constable56/>


==Location==
==Location==
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==Architecture==
==Architecture==
The palace consists of a large open courtyard surrounded by thick [[bulwarks]] and towers guarding the entrances as well as each corner.<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1298/ Un Château du désert : Qasr al-Hayr ach-Charqi - UNESCO World Heritage Centre]</ref> The [[palace]] consists of two square structures, one with a diameter of 300m and the other of {{convert|100|m|ft}}. The palace(s) contains remnants of rooms, arches and columns which seem to be parts of a huge royal complex. Some of the decorated parts have been moved to the [[National Museum of Damascus]] while the gate has been reconstructed in the [[Deir ez-Zor Museum]].<ref name=bonatz>{{cite book |title=Rivers and steppes. Cultural heritage and environment of the Syrian Jezireh. Catalogue to the Museum of Deir ez-Zor |last1=Bonatz |first1=Dominik |last2=Kühne |first2=Hartmut |last3=Mahmoud |first3=As'ad |year=1998 |publisher=Ministry of Culture |location=Damascus |oclc=638775287 }}</ref>
The palace consists of a large open courtyard surrounded by thick [[bulwarks]] and towers guarding the entrances as well as each corner.<ref>[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1298/ Un Château du désert : Qasr al-Hayr ach-Charqi - UNESCO World Heritage Centre] {{wayback|url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1298/ |date=20090213000000 }}</ref> The [[palace]] consists of two square structures, one with a diameter of 300m and the other of {{convert|100|m|ft}}. The palace(s) contains remnants of rooms, arches and columns which seem to be parts of a huge royal complex. Some of the decorated parts have been moved to the [[National Museum of Damascus]] while the gate has been reconstructed in the [[Deir ez-Zor Museum]].<ref name=bonatz>{{cite book |title=Rivers and steppes. Cultural heritage and environment of the Syrian Jezireh. Catalogue to the Museum of Deir ez-Zor |last1=Bonatz |first1=Dominik |last2=Kühne |first2=Hartmut |last3=Mahmoud |first3=As'ad |year=1998 |publisher=Ministry of Culture |location=Damascus |oclc=638775287 }}</ref>


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 (building)|church]] by a canal {{convert|5700|m|yard}} long. The palaces contained bathrooms, water reservoirs, [[mosques]] and gardens.
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 (building)|church]] by a canal {{convert|5700|m|yard}} long. The palaces contained bathrooms, water reservoirs, [[mosques]] and gardens.

Revision as of 10:54, 21 July 2016

The palace Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi

Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi (Eastern al-Hayr Palace or the "Eastern Castle") is a castle (qasr) in the middle of the Syrian Desert. It was built by the Umayyad caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik in 728-29 CE in an area rich in desert fauna.[1] It was apparently used as a military and hunting outpost.[2] The palace is the counterpart of Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi, a nearby castle palace built one year earlier.[1]

Location

Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharq is 27 kilometres (17 mi) from al-Sukhnah and 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Sergiopolis (Rusafa), near Bishri Mountain near Palmyran Middle Mountains.

Architecture

The palace consists of a large open courtyard surrounded by thick bulwarks and towers guarding the entrances as well as each corner.[3] The palace consists of two square structures, one with a diameter of 300m and the other of 100 metres (330 ft). The palace(s) contains remnants of rooms, arches and columns which seem to be parts of a huge royal complex. Some of the decorated parts have been moved to the National Museum of Damascus while the gate has been reconstructed in the Deir ez-Zor Museum.[4]

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 5,700 metres (6,200 yd) 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 8, 1999 in the Cultural category.[5]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Constable, O.R. (2003). Housing the Stranger in the Mediterranean World: Lodging, Trade, and Travel in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 56. ISBN 0-521-81918-0.
  2. ^ Un Château du désert: Qasr al-Hayr ach-Charqi - UNESCO World Heritage Centre Archived 2009-02-13 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ^ Un Château du désert : Qasr al-Hayr ach-Charqi - UNESCO World Heritage Centre Archived 2009-02-13 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Bonatz, Dominik; Kühne, Hartmut; Mahmoud, As'ad (1998). Rivers and steppes. Cultural heritage and environment of the Syrian Jezireh. Catalogue to the Museum of Deir ez-Zor. Damascus: Ministry of Culture. OCLC 638775287.
  5. ^ "Un Château du désert: Qasr al-Hayr ach-Charqi - UNESCO World Heritage Centre". Archived from the original on February 13, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-04. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

35°4′26″N 39°4′16″E / 35.07389°N 39.07111°E / 35.07389; 39.07111