Day 8: March 18, 2008

After visiting the Citadel of Aleppo, we traveled to the mountainous regions of Latakia to explore the Citadel of Sala-al-Din (or Saladin). Latakia is the principal port city of Syria with a population of 554,000 inhabitants, which mostly includes Alwai (sect of Shia Islam), Sunnis and Christians. However, approximately 13,000 Ismailis live in Latakia. This city has been devastated by natural disasters and man-made disasters such as earthquakes and war. It has been captured numerous times by Arabs, Byzantines, Saljuks, Crusaders, and Ottomans.

The bus ride up was absolutely magnificent! We had to travel in smaller groups in smaller vans inorder to travel through the mountains. Traveling via our tour bus would be too dangerous. The mountains boasted a sense of power and control over the valley the lay beneath. The slopes rolled one over the other, containing fertile soil for the production of olives, Syria's most important export. The delegates from Northern Pakistan mesmerized the striking resemblance from their own backyard, bringing some into tears. One of the delegates, S.B., looked out the window the whole time, indifferent to those around her. As if she was lost in nature. I remember her saying, "I would love to climb this." She always was an optimist during the trip! I remembered a verse from the Quran at that moment, "God is beauty and loves beautiful things." This landscape was definitely a sign of Allah's beauty and love to mankind. Nature, I believe, is also Allah's way of communicating to human beings, showing them the 'signs' from their Creator. No wonder individuals feel so at peace when they are surrounded by mountains, oceans, sunshine, moonlight, etc.. It invokes the spirit to an unimaginable level. Some would even conclude that nature tightens the bond between man and His Maker. You would have to experience this to believe me....

Upon reaching the summit, we came face to face with the famous castle of Saladin. The castle is located in high mountainous terrain, on a ridge between two deep ravines and surrounded by forest. The castle was built in ancient times during the early first millennium B.C (the Phoenicians). It was then captured by Alexander the Great in 334BC. Upon its return to the Byzantines in the 10th century AD, several defensive structures were established. In he beginning of the 12th century, the castle fell into the hands of the Crusaders. Most of what remains of the castle was built during the Crusaders. In July of 1188, the Crusader walls were brought to its feet by the armies of Salah-al-Din. It is from his victory that the castle takes its name from.

Among the many magnificent features of this castle, the most notable is the 28m deep ditch, was was cut into living rock. The ditch runs 156 meters along the east side and is 14 to 20 meters wide with a 28 meter high needle to support the drawbridge. It is also located 800-900 meters above sea level. You can easily sprain your neck by just examining its height. You can just imagine how this castle was an ideal location for military purposes. No army would dare challenge this ditch and if they did, they were immediately put into their place! Some of the features of this castle include large cisterns (to collect rain water), the Crusaders tea house, a Crusaders Church, two Byzantine chapels, a tower making up one portion of the entrance, a bastion built by the Crusaders. The Arabs added a mosque, a palace, minarete, and hamams (bath houses) with courtyards. With the many civilizations that took up residence in this castle, one can notice the plurality that is evident in this fortress. For example, The Byzantine used bricks for its walls that were irregular in shape and smaller. The Crusaders used bricks that were regular and smooth. The Arabs used limestones to maintain the structure of the castle.

This castle is also part of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Historic Cities Program. The conservation work began in 1999, which was followed in 2000 by the restoration of the mosque, its minaret (destroyed by an earthquake), and the madrasa. During 2001, the team started work on the conservation of the remains of the Ayyubid palace and baths. The archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a sophisticated piped water system as well as the fountain and the hot and cold water systems in the bath. The main goal of the restorative process was to carefully stabilize ruins and only rebuild where required to gain structural stability.

Interestingly, during the excavation process, an octagon pool was discovered. It was initially thought to be a hamam but later it was believed that its structure was not conducive to an "Islamic Hamam." Is it a half Hamam half pool?!


My thoughts...

Visiting one Aga Khan institution to another and citadel hoping, I am beginning to understand the scope of Mowla's work. His years of hard work and commitment to the betterment of the world is not just for Ismailis (those who owe allegiance to Him). It is for everyone. This type of work has not only been the mandate of the Ismaili Imamate but it goes back to the time of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.S). What does He get out of restoring a citadel named after Salah-al-Din, founder of the Dynasty that brought down the Fatimids? Restoring these citadels aims to preserve our culture and heritage. But whats the big deal in preserving our culture? Culture is valued because it gives one a sense of belonging, it shapes a person and is conducive to their lifestyle. Preserving a culture means preserving history. History allows us to learn from our past, connect with our present and hope for the future. The operative word is hope...Hope amidst disparity...a value that everyone is entitled to. The restorative projects undertaken by AKDN go beyond technical restoration. In fact, they seek to address social and environmental issues, adaptive re-use, institutional sustainability and training. An objective of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture is, "buildings and public spaces are physical manifestations of culture in societies, past, and present. They represent human endeavors that can enhance the quality of life, foster self-understanding and community values, and expand opportunities for economic and social development into the future." Projects like these seek to promote economic growth not only for the government but its people as well. They generate income by generating jobs. These jobs are created based on the needs of the individuals and the skills they possess. Example, restoring the Al-Azhar park led to the creation of more than 200 jobs for local Egyptians. These jobs were built on the technical and carpentry skills that this labour force already possessed. Hence, you do not come into a community and force your will on its members. You listen, dialoge, and collaborate. How else do you think a community will survive and grow? The work of His Highness is part and parcel of the ethics which govern mankind, which happen to also be the ethics of Islam. The ethics of generosity, tolerance, forbearance, respect and dignity for human life. From revitalization of Central Asian music to restoring an 11th century park, the goal is to add meaning back to the community, to sustain its growth, to instill hope for the future.

With Love and Prayers,
-Shazmah

"What was behind all this attention to structure and process? The goal was to create an intellectual space – something we might think of as a beautiful bustan

• in which there would be no possibility of suffocation from the dying weeds of dogma, whether professional or ideological;

• where the flowers of articulation and challenging ideas could grow without restraint;

• where the new plants of creativity and risk-taking could blossom in the full light of day;

• where beauty would be seen in the articulation of difference and for seeking diverse solutions in the form of plants of different sizes, shapes, textures and colours, presented in new configurations and arrangements;

• a bustan whose glory would stem from the value and legitimacy of the pluralism of the infinite manifestations of culture in the human community."
  
  -Aga Khan Award for Architecture in Aleppo Syria, 2001.