- Type
- Ruin
- Style
- Byzantine architecture
- Coordinates
- 36.4269°, 36.2250°
History
The hill above the pass known as the Syrian Gates was fortified in late 968 by the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, who stationed a strong garrison here to cut off and harry Antioch before it was recaptured from the Arabs. Around 1153 the Knights Templar rebuilt the fortress, calling it Gaston, and made it the chief watchpost on the northern frontier of the Principality of Antioch. Saladin captured it in 1188 and had part of the defences demolished. In 1191 the Armenians of Cilicia under Leo II seized it, sparking a long dispute with the Templars that ended only when the fortress was returned to the order in 1216. When Sultan Baybars took Antioch in 1268, the Templars abandoned Bagras without a fight.
What to see
The ruins crown a rocky hill above the road from İskenderun to Antakya and are easy to spot from the valley. Sections of curtain wall, towers, vaulted rooms and cisterns survive, and at the foot of the hill stand the remains of the aqueduct that supplied the fortress with water. The summit looks out over the pass and the Nur Mountains. Hatay province was badly hit by the earthquake of February 2023, so check the state of the access road and the ruins before setting out.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q799921
Popularity: articles about this site in 19 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).