Restoration starts on Ja’bar Castle in Syria’s Tabqa
TABQA, Syria (North Press) – On Sunday, the Directorate of Tourism and Protection of Antiquities in Tabqa, north Syria, started repairing al-Gharib Tower in Ja’bar Castle.
The archaeological site Ja’bar Castle is located on the left bank of the Euphrates, 53 kilometers west of Raqqa, and 10 kilometers to Euphrates Dam.
Researchers believe it is 1,400 years old.
The restoration process comes after more than ten years of the expansion of old cracks that were visible in the tower as a result of excessive moisture.
The Head of the Directorate in Tabqa, Zaradasht Isso, said the cracks in al-Gharib tower appeared clearly as a result of the expansion of cracks between 2011 and 2018.
“The tower was called al-Gharib (strange) because it is the only one built this way with such building materials,” according to Isso.
He added that the weather, high humidity, and erosion of its base in addition to the heavy weight of the limestone of the tower resulted in cracks in the basic structure of the tower.
The Islamic State (ISIS) turned Ja’bar Castle to a prison and a training center for Ashbal al-Khilafah (Cubs of the Caliphate, the group’s youth wing), during its control of the region.
Ja’bar Castle underwent two seasons of restoration before the start of the Syrian war.
“Maintenance processes and restoration were stopped since 2011, which affected a big part of its towers,” Isso added.
The Directorate dug a circle around the tower to a depth of 30 cm and poured cement into it to isolate moisture.
The architectural pattern of the tower is unique because its base is built with bricks and the top with heavy millstones.
Ja’bar Castle is surrounded by two large walls and it includes more than 35 towers, in the center of which is an ancient mosque whose minaret appears sits on top.
“We conducted a study and emergency maintenance for the cracks because the tower requires expertise and big financial capability,” he noted.
He added that Ja’bar Castle is a UNESCO designated heritage site, “so we cannot conduct comprehensive restoration works without the approval of UNESCO…we asked them to work on restoring it, but they did not respond.”