Krak des Chevaliers (Crac des Chevaliers, قلعة الحصن)

KraK des Chevaliers, or Krak des Chevaliers, is a magnificent medieval Crusader castle that looks exactly as it did in the 12th century. It guards the major pass between Antakya in Turkey and Beirut in Lebanon. The castle was built and amended between 1150 and 1250 and at one time housed a garrison of 2,000 soldiers. They fenced off several attacks, before the castle was lost to Sultan Baibars in 1271. At the turn of the 20th century, a small settlement had been established within the castle, damaging its fabric. In 1933 its 500 inhabitants were moved elsewhere and the castle has been restored and protected ever since.

Krak des Chevaliers consists of two parts, an outside wall, including 13 towers and an inside wall with a keep. In between the two walls runs a moat, filled with water, which was used for bathing and water the horses. The outside wall is 5 m (16 ft) thick and when you enter the castle you can experience how massive that wall actually is. The entrance consists of a gate in the outside wall, which leads to a courtyard.

A beautifully carved corridor leads to a large vaulted hall, which boasts an old oven, a well and latrines. In the courtyard is a small chapel, which was converted into a mosque by Sultan Barbar after he conquered the castle. It still has its pulpit. The top floor of the Tower of the King's Daughter has been converted into a small cafe with excellent views over the area.

Accommodation is available in the town of al-Husn, which surrounds the castle, but most people opt to stay in Ṭarṭūs or Hama and visit the castle on a day trip. Krak des Chevaliers is 40 km (25 mi) west of Homs, not far from the border of Lebanon and 145 km northwest of Dimašq (Damascus).

The castles of Krak des Chevaliers, as well as Qal'at Salah El-Din have been included in the UNESCO list of world heritage sites since 2006. The castle was damaged in 2014 during the Syrian civil war, but reconstruction efforts are underway.