Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Lattakia, SANA- Al-Menqa Castle is located about 35 km southeast of Jableh city within al-Qalaa Valley, it rises 630 meters above sea level forming, for decades, a defensive fortress in the Syrian coast area.
Dr. Masoud Badawi, Director of Department of Antiquities and Museums in Jableh city, told SANA reporter that the castle is built on a rocky plateau surrounded by three valleys (south – east – west) and it is connected on the north and northeastern sides with the surrounding mountains by a natural topographic extension that was separated by a trench of the castle, and is surrounded by a wall equipped with defensive towers within the castle.
Badawi added that the castle was known as one of the castles that had an important role in defending the area of mountains in the Syrian coast.
Its name dates back to Shihab al-Din al-Minqi, who was born there in the year 872 Hijrah.
Badawi went on to say that at the beginning of the Ottoman period, the castle was a place for conflict and control between the Ottomans and the people of the area until 1270 AD, and since that date the castle was abandoned until the beginning of the French occupation of the Syrian coast in 1918 what it became a haven for strugglers against French occupation.
In 2000, the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums began to give interest in it, so it was registered in 2003 as one of the archaeological castles in Jableh region.
Nisreen Othman/ Mazen Eyon
