Jableh

Jableh is an ordinary working seaside town with an extraordinary centrepiece: a Roman theatre for several thousand spectators standing a street back from the fishing harbour, its curved seating rising straight out of the town's daily life. The tomb mosque of Sultan Ibrahim ibn Adham, a revered early ascetic, adds a second focus. Nothing here is dressed up for visitors, which is much of the appeal: cafes by the harbour, the theatre over the rooftops, and the coast road running on.

Background

Jableh lies 25 kilometres south of Latakia and 25 kilometres north of Baniyas, and counted about 80,000 inhabitants in the 2004 census. Less than 1 kilometre from the centre is Tell Tweini, the site of ancient Gibala. The city belonged to the kingdom of Ugarit and is named as Gbʿly in archives from around 1200 BC. The Roman theatre held about 7,000 spectators and is 90 metres across. Some 500 metres northwest of it, eight tombs at the al-Jbeibat necropolis date from the 2nd century BC to the 4th century AD. Ibrahim ibn Adham, whose tomb mosque stands in the town, was a Sufi mystic said to have given up the throne of Balkh for a life of prayer.

Source: Wikipedia, "Jableh"

What you'll find

• The Roman theatre - the cavea rising amid the town.
• The harbour - fishing boats and waterfront cafes.
• The Ibrahim ibn Adham mosque - the shrine of the ascetic saint.
• The seafront - the working coast of an untouristed town.

When to go

April to June and September to November are mild. Summer is humid. Late afternoon is best in the theatre.

Things to know

The theatre's opening is informal and its restoration partial. The town has few facilities aimed at visitors. Swimming in town is not the coast's best.

Nearby

Latakia is north, and Baniyas with Marqab is south.

Key facts