Citadel of Salah Ed-Din
A castle on a forested ridge, split from the mountain by a hand-cut chasm.
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UNESCO World Heritage
The Citadel of Salah Ed-Din, medieval Saone, occupies a ridge between two deep gorges in the forested mountains east of Latakia, and its most astonishing feature is the ditch: a chasm twenty-eight metres deep cut by hand through solid rock to sever the ridge, with a lone stone needle left standing to carry the drawbridge. Byzantine walls, a Frankish keep and Ayyubid additions share the site, inscribed by UNESCO together with Crac des Chevaliers. Pine forest fills the gorges below.
What you actually see
- The rock-cut ditch - the hand-hewn chasm and its drawbridge needle.
- The keep - the massive Frankish tower above the ditch.
- The Byzantine walls - the older circuit along the ridge.
- The forest gorges - green ravines wrapping the castle.
When to go
April to June and September to November are the green, mild seasons. Summer is hot but the forest softens it. Low light dramatises the ditch.
Honest expectations
The site is large, steep and mostly unrestored; good footwear matters and drops are unfenced. Facilities are minimal. Access arrangements should be checked locally.
Nearby
Latakia is west, and the Kessab hills are north.
What to pack for Citadel of Salah Ed-Din
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
