Qasr Ibn Wardan lies about 37 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of Hama in Syria. Byzantine Emperor Justinian I built the complex of palace, church and barracks in the mid-sixth century, as part of a defensive line with Resafa and Halabiye against the Sassanid Empire. The article says the palace was probably the local governor's residence and that the style, imported directly from Constantinople, is unique in present-day Syria.
The southern palace facade uses alternating bands of black basalt and yellow brick. The church is square, with a central nave, two side aisles and galleries for women, and it was originally topped by a large dome. A small bath complex with a central courtyard lay in the eastern part of the palace.
The Syrian army recaptured and secured the town from ISIS on February 8, 2018.
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