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Meridiela.

Amrit

A Phoenician sanctuary with a rock-cut sacred pool and tower tombs.

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Typephoenician site
WhereTartus Governorate
Nearest cityTartus
Best seasonApril to June and September to November
Time to allowHalf a day
Getting thereOn the coast just south of Tartus; road, minutes from the city
EntryArrangements local; conditions vary

Amrit, ancient Marathus, keeps the most complete Phoenician remains on the mainland coast: a sanctuary where a cella on a rock cube stands in the middle of a great rock-cut basin that was once a sacred pool fed by a spring, and, nearby, the meghazil - tall stone tower tombs with pyramid and cylinder tops that are unlike anything else in Syria. There is also a rock-cut stadium among the scrub. The sea is close and the site is open ground.

What you actually see

  • The sanctuary pool - the rock-cut basin with its central shrine.
  • The meghazil - the towered Phoenician tombs.
  • The stadium - the running ground cut into rock.
  • The coastal setting - open ground near the sea.

When to go

April to June and September to November are mild. Spring covers the site in wildflowers. Summer midday is best avoided.

Honest expectations

The site is spread out, lightly fenced and lightly interpreted; a guide or good reading helps. Facilities are absent. Some areas are close to modern development.

Nearby

Tartus is north, and Marqab is up the coast.

What to pack for Amrit

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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