Krak des Chevaliers also "Crac des Chevaliers" - 'Castle of the Knights' located near Homs in Syria is widely recognised as the archetypal Crusader castle. Described by T.E. Lawrence of Arabia as "perhaps the best preserved and most wholly admirable castle in the world", this somewhat isolated site is located magnificently 750 m or 2300 ft above sea level and is, indeed, extremely well-preserved. Today it represents one of the premier tourist attractions in central Syria.
Opening hours: 9AM-6PM summer, 9AM-4PM winter. The usual Syrian government practice of closing Tuesdays is generally ignored for Krak des Chevaliers, on account of its popularity as a tourist destination - that said, in the middle of winter, it's a good idea to phone the ticket office ahead of time just to check.... 740 002.
