Qalb Lozeh

Qalb Lozeh is a basilica of about 460 standing in a Druze village in the limestone hills, and architectural historians treat it as a landmark: its twin-towered facade, wide nave arcades on piers and carved mouldings anticipate what Europe would build as Romanesque half a millennium later. The church survives close to complete, roofless but with walls, apse and towers standing. It sits within the UNESCO Ancient Villages landscape of the Limestone Massif.

What you actually see

• The twin-towered facade - the front that looks toward Romanesque.
• The nave arcades - broad arches on piers rather than columns.
• The carved apse - the decorated east end.
• The village setting - houses of the living village among the stones.

When to go

March to May and October to November are mild, with spring flowers in the limestone. Summer is hot. Light on the facade is best in the afternoon.

Honest expectations

The church stands in an inhabited village and visits should be respectful. Access arrangements in the northwest change and need local checking. There are no facilities.

Nearby

Harim and the Jebel al-Ala villages are around it, and Aleppo is east.