Qasr Al-Hayr East

An Islamic site in Syria with two fortified buildings and a bathhouse. There are towers and a monumental gate as this was the site of a rural princely complex dating from 710-750 AD, erected by Umayyad princes. An inscription from the mosque, now lost, gives the date 728-729 and refers to the site as a town. Although the principal occupation belongs to the 8th century, Qasr al-Hayr enjoyed revival in the 11th and 12th centuries.

Islamic site in Syria standing in semi-desert. It consists of two fortified buildings and a bath-house, in an enclosure with conduits which tapped a spring 25 km away and brought rainwater from a nearby wadi. The Small Enclosure is roughly square, 66 metres across, with towers and a monumental gate. The building contains a large courtyard, surrounded by porticos, behind which are vaulted rooms; it appears to be a caravanserai. The Large Enclosure, again roughly square, is 167 metres across with gates in all four sides. This too has a central courtyard with porticos, surrounded by selfcontained units, one of which is a mosque. Other units contain dwellings, olive presses and a bath. An inscription from the mosque, now lost, gives the date 728-9 and refers to the site as a town. Although the principal occupation belongs to the 8th century, Qasr al-Hayr enjoyed a modest revival in the 11th and 12th centuries.