Bosra Amphitheater

The amphitheater in Bosra was once considered to be one of the best preserved Roman theaters in the world. In the 12th century, it was converted into an Arab fortress. In modern times, musicians and orchestras from around the world valued its special acoustics. But fighting has has apparently turned the amphitheater into true ruins.

Bazaar Torched

UNESCO also recognized Aleppo's historic center as a World Heritage site because of the ancient souk, the largest covered market in the Middle East. The bazaar covers an area of about 350 hectares with several streets and hundreds of shops. But even the five-kilometer long wall surrounding the historic center was not able to protect the market: it burned down during fighting in 2012.
 

Krak des Chevaliers

The oasis city of Palmyra is also at risk. The Monumental Arch is still standing, but some archaeological excavations sites have been looted. Palmyra is one of Syria's architectural landmarks. The boulevard with its Corinthian columns, the arch from the time of Septimius Severus and the walls of the Temple of Baal have now been marked by bullet holes.

Aleppo Occupied

Over the course of the civil war, cultural sites have been misused as strategic bases - among them the Citadel of Aleppo, a fortress on a hill towering above the old city. The Seleucid Empire, a dynasty that followed Alexander the Great, erected the fortress in the 4th century B.C. Greeks, Romans, Persians, Byzantines and Ottomans have also built temples on the hill.
 

Aleppo threatened

In 2013, UNESCO listed six unique World Heritage sites in Syria as being in danger, including the historic center of Aleppo. Aleppo has a long history: as a cultural hub on the Mediterranean Sea, it is mentioned in documents dating back to the 19th century B.C. 

Without culture

Over four millennia, Babylonian, Egyptian, Persian, Greek and Roman influences crossed paths in Syria. Today, precious cultural sites from these eras are being damaged as the Syrian civil war takes its toll on the country's cultural heritage. The United Nation's cultural organization UNESCO is concerned for the country's cultural heritage.