Bara, Syria

Bara (بارة in Arabic) or longer Al-Bara is one of the former "Dead Cities" in northwestern Syria. It is located in the Jebel Riha, approx. 65 km north from Hama and approx. 80 km southwest from Aleppo.

Ruins of Bara

The settlement was established in the 4^th century at an important trade route between Antioch and Apamea. Due to good location and excellent conditions to produce wine and olive oil it flourished in the 5^th and 6^th centuries. When Muslims conquered the region and trading routes were disrupted and other »Dead Cities« were abandoned, Bara remained inhabited, most inhabitants remained Christians and the town even became a seat of a bishopric subordinate of Antioch.

In 1098 it was conquered by crusaders (from here they later set off to the infamous cannibalistic massacre of Ma`arat al-Numan) led by Raymond de Saint-Gilles. In 1123 the town was reconquered by Muslims who built a small fortress. Later in the 12^th century, after a severe earthquake, the town was abandoned.

Later, in the beginning of the 20^th century, a modern village of the same name arose near the site of the ancient town and till today it has grown to a size of a small town.

Ruins are the most extensive of all Dead Cities and are scattered among fields, olive groves and orchards. Among many others one can distinguish remains of at least 5 churches, 3 monasteries, several villas, two pyramidal tombs and one underground tomb.