Baqirha
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Baqirha is a site situated on the trade route between Aleppo and Antioch, overlooking the Plain of Amuq. The site features bot Roman and Byzantine remains.
Archaeologically, the site is one of the most interesting in the region, both due to the mixture of styles visible in the remains and the remarkable preservation of the Roman temple of Zeus Bombos (or Zeus Bumus), which was constructed in 161 CE. The temple itself is built above a probably Semitic cult centre. Very little of the temple’s original fabric has been removed.
Farther downhill from the temple, the remains of the Byzantine settlement, including two churches, are also fairly well preserved. The eastern church dates to 546 CE and is highly decorative, departing from classical forms for the area. The western church (dated to 501 CE) appears to have been monastic, and conforms more to known architectural styles, mirroring the doorways of architect Kyros. The site represents a longevity of settlement in the region supported by Baqirha’s location on a well-known trade route
Today, many of the outer edifices are still standing, though the interiors of larger buildings and much of the Byzantine settlement is in ruins or severely damaged.
