Picture of Qalaat Simaan: inn outside basilica (Syria)

The inn that was built outside the basilica

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Once the goal of many pilgrims who wanted to see Saint Simeon, now the ruins of the basilica make for a very pleasant trip from Aleppo.
After his death, a basilica was constructed with the last and highest pillar at the centre. It had the shape of a cross, which can still easily be seen when walking through the ruins. At the time, it was the largest basilica in the world. Outside the basilica, an inn was built to house the pilgrims that continued to come. The basilica is in ruins now, although many walls are still standing thanks to an ingenuous construction protecting it against earth quakes. Later, the hill became a fortification, taking advantage of its strategical location, commanding its surroundings.
Read more about: Saint Simeon

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