UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory
UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory
Syria
Lajat biosphere reserve covers a core area of two thousand (2,000) hectares with an elevation ranging between six hundred (600) and nine hundred (900) meters. The reserve overlooks Mount Hermon towards the north and the plains of Huraan towards the west. The stunning landscape of the reserve features deep gorges (Wadis), highlands and underground springs. The area holds Roman archeological monuments (Al Kwatli et al., 2012; Al Kwatli et al., 2010) and ancient Pistachio oil presses. The cultivated lands of the Lajat Plateau provide a niche for the wild relatives of Koranic species (UNESCO-MAB, 2011).
The biosphere reserve neighborhood holds religious temples and houses dating back to the Copper Stone Age (5 BC) and an Ancient Arab Settlement. The old city of Lajat hides historical vestiges, such as the Roman aqueduct, a conical reservoir, and a larger Roman amphitheater. The area features the Temple of Dionysus-Dushara with its eight well-decorated columns and the newly-discovered amphitheater to the south of the Agora. It also preserves Saint Sergius Byzantine Basilica built in the fifth century and the arch of the lesser church still standing and known locally as "The Gallows". The villages witness prints of old civilizations, the remains of an Aramaic ancient city in Zakir, ‘lioness’ archaeological site in Majadel and the cave in Ariqa town. The Roman Sidewalk, the pilgrimage route paved with basalt stones and the remnants of "Sharif lighthouses” guiding travelers from north to south in the area of Lajat, are not to be missed (Wikipedia, 2019).
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