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MOUNT AQRAA

June 27, 2016 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Syria/Turkey (1,709 m) – Sacred Pagan Site

Mount Aqraa on the Mediterranean coast was an incredibly important site in ancient times.  Standing at one of the primary terminus points of the Silk Road, it was a landmark for both caravans and maritime travelers.  But it was most famous a religious center, and was the site of many temples and shrines from the time of the Canaanites to the Romans, and later Christians.

Before the arrival of the Israelites, Aqraa was the center of worship of the Canaanite deity Baal.  A shrine to Baal stood on the peak since antiquity, and was later adopted by conquering Hittites, Persians and Greeks.  Under the Greeks and Romans the mountain was reconsecrated to Zeus, and the temple on its peak became an important site of pilgrimage until the arrival of Christianity.  The last pagan emperor to worship at Aqraa was Justin in 363 AD.  The famous ascethic Simeon the Stylite made the mountain his home in the 6th century.  The mountain’s religious importance waned with the arrival of Islam in the 7th century.

Mount Aqraa towers over the Mediterranean Sea where Syria meets Turkey.  Although the peak is on the Turkish side, the closest town is Kasab in Syria two miles away.  Due to the ongoing conflict in Syria, the area around the mountain is packed with refugees and is a critical station for relief supplies.  Because of this archaeological research at the mountain’s peak is currently suspended.  Although hiking to the peak is a popular pastime, the area is difficult if not dangerous to visit at the present time.

Filed Under: Mountain, Pagan Tagged With: Syria/Jordan/Lebanon, Turkey/Cyprus

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About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

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Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

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Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

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Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

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