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Temple of Bel

Temple of Bel

Alexandras

Photo: haitham alfalah · Attribution · Wikimedia Commons

Location
Palmyra, Syria
Client / Owner
—
Year
Completed 32
Access
Public
Typology
Spiritual

The temple was dedicated in AD 32. Inscriptions name three Greeks involved, including an architect named Alexandras. A paved court about 656 feet (200 m) square, enclosed by a wall with a propylaeum, surrounds the temple, which stands on a podium. The cella is ringed by Corinthian columns and has two inner sanctuaries. The infobox gives its height as 49 feet (15 m). The article describes a blend of ancient Near Eastern and Greek architecture.

The temple later became a Byzantine church. In 1132 it was converted into a mosque, and houses filled the court, which served as a fortified citadel. French and Syrian missions cleared the later additions in the 1920s.

The article reports that Islamic State forces demolished the main building and a row of columns in August 2015, which the UN confirmed on August 31 using satellite imagery. The entrance arch, exterior walls and gate survived. UNESCO listed Palmyra in 1980.

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