Isriya

Isriya, the ancient Seriana, is a third-century Roman temple standing almost alone in the steppe at what was once a crossroads of caravan routes between the Euphrates, Palmyra and the cities of the west. The cella survives nearly to its full height, built of fine limestone with a carved doorway, and the emptiness around it is the point: this was a shrine for travellers where several days of desert met. Little else of the settlement shows above ground. Basalt house ruins of the later village lie around the temple, and herders' tracks converge on the old wells.

What you actually see

• The cella - the temple chamber standing nearly complete.
• The carved doorway - the decorated entrance frame.
• The crossroads position - routes meeting in open steppe.
• The solitude - a temple alone on the horizon.

When to go

March to April and October to November are mild; summer is severe. The light is best early and late.

Honest expectations

It is remote, with no facilities and a rough approach; a guide and good vehicle matter. Access arrangements change. The visit itself is short - the journey is most of it.

Nearby

Qasr Ibn Wardan is southwest, and Resafa is northeast.