German-speaking map of the Dead Cities
The dead cities in Syria are located around the city of Ma'arrat al-Numan halfway between Aleppo and Hama. It is about ruins of Roman and Byzantine settlements that are scattered around the surrounding countryside and are usually very difficult to reach. The most interesting places are Al Bara, Sergilla and Qirqbize. Several UNESCO-listed buildings were placed under the name of Old Towns of Northern Syria.
Al Bara is located at the current village of Kafr. The villagers use parts of the old town like olive and vineyards. Al Bara was one of the most important Byzantine cities in Syria in the 5th to 6th century and was a major religious center. There are remains of at least five churches and a monastery. Excellently preserved are two graftombs with stone roofs in the shape of a pyramid. There are still sarcophagens in one of the two.
Sergilla is originally a Roman city, quite small without theater and without colonades. One can find the remains of houses, public terms, a church and an andron. An "andron" was a kind of meeting and relaxation room for the male residents of the city and would now be called a cafe or tavern. The building is one of the best preserved Roman buildings worldwide. It has two floors and a double pillar of three columns on each floor. The rather small church is three-legged and dates back to the end of the 4th century.
Qirqbize is a third interesting place. It is especially famous for the Qirqbize House Church, one of the oldest known buildings of Christianity.
These cities belonged to the hinterland of Antioch in the 4th to the 6th century.
In Ma'arrat al-Numan, the Ottoman caravan sermon was converted from 1563 into a museum with a large collection of Roman and especially Byzantine mosaics from the dead cities.
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