Ancient Palmyra was founded by the Hurrian ruler Tukrish. At one time, it was one of the most significant cities in the Syrian desert and was located in a beautiful oasis between the Syrian capital Damascus and the largest river in Western Asia - the Euphrates. The “Sweet Water” of the Euphrates, the name of the river is translated from the Aramaic language, has given rise to many ancient civilizations.
Many caravans passed through the Syrian desert through Palmyra. Due to its favorable location, the city flourished, constantly expanded and received the honorary title of “Desert Bride”. The most famous buildings of Palmyra were the temples of Bel and Baalshamin.
Temple of Bel in Palmyra
This ancient temple was considered the largest object in the Syrian Palmyra. It was erected in 32 AD, and the construction began in the years of the reign of Emperor Tiberius. The appearance of the temple of Bel symbolized the superiority of the Roman Empire, which annexed Palmyra. At the same time, it became the main sanctuary of the ancient city, erected in honor of the supreme heavenly lord Bel.
The construction of this building became a symbol of the unity of East and West: the interior of the temple was built in the Middle Eastern traditions, and its facades corresponded to the architectural preferences of the western rulers of Palmyra. It is assumed that the temple of Bel was designed by architects from the city of Antioch.
Inside the building there was only one, but a very large ceremonial hall. In its niches were installed large statues of the gods of Palmyra. Outside, the temple walls were decorated with luxurious bas-reliefs and small columns, and their gilded bronze capitals sparkled in the bright rays of the sun. The bas-reliefs depicted ceremonial processions, 7 planets of the solar system and 12 zodiac signs.
Over time, the temple of Bela acquired a more modest appearance, which was known to the world until 2015: the avid Roman emperor Aurelian removed the gilded bronze from the columns and took it to the capital of the Roman Empire.
Temple of Baalshamin in Palmyra
This magnificent religious building began to be built in the year 17 from the birth of Christ, and the last work on its formation was completed in 130, during the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian.
The temple was dedicated to the supreme Phoenician deity Baal, who was worshiped by the Western Semites. In their pantheon, Baalshamin was the master of heaven and commanded by storms and rains, thanks to which the lands dried out from the scorching sun became fertile. The name of the temple of Baalshamin in translation from Aramaic means "God of Heaven"
Baalshamin was considered the embodiment of the supreme god Bel. Therefore, unlike the temple of the latter, it was much smaller and was located away from the central Pillar Road. Despite such a slight difference, both temples were built in a single antique style, had decoration in the form of a national Syrian ornament and glorified the Phoenician gods.
The entire building outside had a strict design, only the central facade with a deep six-columned portico and portal, which had a rich ornament, stood out. Pilasters decorated the side walls of the temple. Despite its small size, the temple had an impressive appearance. Before the entrance to the building was located an older altar in terms of construction, on which one could read the dedication inscriptions. They were written in Aramaic and Greek.
In the 5th century AD, after the widespread spread of Christianity, both temples became Christian churches.
Temple of Baalshamin - the sanctuary of the lord of heaven
Baalshamin was a Phoenician deity who challenged his significance with Bel. Like Bel, he formed his triad, sharing the temple with the gods Aglibol and Malakbel, and was equated with the Greek Zeus. He was described as the sovereign of the sky and depicted as a large eagle, whose wings extended to the sun, moon and stars. Its symbols were lightning and spikes.
Baalshamin was especially revered in Palmyra, because only from him, according to the residents of the city, it depended on whether the blessed rain would pass over the desert. And the water in here, as you know, is all.
XXI century: the destruction of the temples of ancient Palmyra
On August 23, 2015, militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) terrorist organization destroyed the Baalshamina Temple, a building dating to the 17th year of our era. According to Maamun Abdulkarim, head of the Syrian State Department of Antiquities, the terrorists bombed the temple with a huge amount of explosives and then blew it up, causing irreparable damage to the oldest of Palmyra’s symbols.
As a result of the barbaric actions, the inner part of the temple was completely destroyed, and the outer columns were significantly damaged. The video and photo of the Baalshamin temple, ruthlessly destroyed by ignorant terrorists, provoked the indignation of the entire enlightened world community.
On August 30, 2015, militants blew up the Bel Temple, completely destroying its central part.
The beautiful masterpieces of ancient architecture, which stood for almost 2 millennia under the hot sun of the Middle East, were destroyed in a matter of minutes.
In March 2017, Palmyra was released from ISIS terrorists. The Syrian authorities planned the restoration of the destroyed monuments and the temple of Baalshamin, and then the full restoration of the temple of Bel. It will take a lot of time and money to recreate them, and perhaps only after a few decades, we can again see the magnificent masterpieces of ancient architecture.