Visitor center opened in Al-Marqab Castle in Tartous Governorate
TARTOUS, April.14, (ST)- A Visitor’s center was opened on Thursday in Al-Marqab Castle in Banias area in Tartous Governorate, with the aim of displaying the most important archaeological findings which were discovered at the site by the joint Syrian-Hungarian archaeological mission that started its work in the castle in 2007.
The Minister of Culture Lubana Mushouh told reporters that the center is attached to the castle and displays the findings that were discovered on the slopes of the castle and in the village, noting the progress of the museum’s exhibition in the hope that it will develop further.
She was briefed on the work of the joint Syrian-Hungarian mission and confirmed that achieving the sustainability of our monuments needs more than restoration and rehabilitation.It needs for us to benefit from researchers’ studies, prepare studies and achieve the element of sustainability in human capabilities.
The Director General of Antiquities and Museums Muhammad Nazir Awad declared that the goal of opening the center is to have a place where visitors know what the castle contains and the maintenance and restoration work that has been done in it, referring to the fact that the visits of the Hungarian side in the joint mission to the castle have not stopped during the years of war on Syria.
Archaeologist Mayor Balaj, the head of the joint Hungarian-Syrian mission, confirmed that the center shows part of the results of the mission’s work for nearly 15 years.
He said that a small hall can show only a small part of the results of the work. “ When the visitors come to the center they will get an idea of life in the castle and the most important parts in it and then they will visit its parts to have a better idea about it.”
It is worth mentioning that Al-Marqab Castle is located 5 km east of Baniyas, and it dates back to 1062 AD.
Researchers classify it as one of the largest castles built during the Middle Ages in the world.
Basma Qaddour