From the lowlands, the massive stone masterpiece seems to float above a verdant valley in Western Syria. Almost entirely intact, the Crac des Chevaliers, guarding the Homs Gap and the only accessible mountain pass, is a magnificent castle breathing secrets of rulers and legends of warriors. The Crac, as the locals call it, was the only Crusader fortress never breached by Arab armies. For over 100 hundred years, the edifice stymied the Arabs in their quest to retrieve their land from the Crusaders. It was not until Baibars al-Bunduqdari, the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt and Syria, began his month-long siege in 1271 that the fortress began to give way. It quickly became apparent to the 200 men garrisoned at the castle that even with its impregnable inner walls, they were still vulnerable. Cut off from the outside world, the small Crusader force would soon starve to death. So the two foes struck a deal: Baibars allowed the knights to withdraw from the castle and head back to Europe via the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. Twenty years after the fall of the Crac, the Crusaders disappeared from the region forever. The Crac des Chevaliers remains, however, in great condition, and, for the visitor it is a rare, unspoiled relic from a time long past. The approach to the castle is reminiscent of the capital of Gondor in Lord of The Rings. A spiraling road brings you gradually closer to the Crac, the castle growing hypnotically to full size before your eyes. For security reasons, you are not allowed to drive directly up to the castle, so you must advance the last 200 meters on foot. This is actually a good thing because it allows you to experience the sheer size of this extraordinary structure much like the attackers did centuries ago. And that experience was unlike anything I had ever seen, almost overwhelming. I wanted to sprint right up to the castle and enter, but suppressed the urge while I circled the entire structure, almost physically feeling its power and grandeur. It is definitely worth the walk: You’ll not only get a full appreciation of the defenses, but have the opportunity to take great pictures. On the castle’s south side, you can see where the Arab forces were able to break through the outer walls centuries ago, and you’ll be stunned to find the inner walls even more imposing. It was time for me to enter the fortress. Large enough to admit the knights on horseback, the passageway into the castle on the eastern side is awe-inspiring. This will definitely be one of those times when you wish time travel were possible so you could see the castle in all its glory. The long journey to the interior which must have been much quicker for the mounted Crusaders finally ends with a climb to the roof. Strolling along the ramparts of the inner walls you realize how impossible it would have been to breach them. Made of solid rock, the inner walls are strong enough to withstand modern-day mining techniques, let alone the limited military expertise of the 13th century. Walking along the top of the Crac’s walls, you can see the entire valley laid out in front of you and sometimes even Lebanon to the far south and the Mediterranean off to the west. I wondered if an army was ever able to sneak up on the knights here. At the edge of the inner walls is a daunting moat, which would have made it nearly impossible to storm the castle. Before attackers could even think about breaking through the solid rock of the inner walls, they would have to trudge through water under the hail of arrows from the garrison to reach them. Looking down at the greenish-colored water, I wondered how, with a castle of this strength, the Crusaders lost their dominance over the region. The Crac stands as a lesson on how occupiers never maintain their hold, no matter how great their physical presence may be. High above the inner wall, the castle towers are the perfect vantage points for observing activity outside the walls. From here, I saw some ambitious tourists try to scale the outer wall, but to no avail. Legend has it that a young T. E. Lawrence once attempted to climb the wall, but reached only a disappointing halfway mark. The greatest of the Crac’s towers has three sets of arches, and was originally used as the launching point for missiles or burning oil rained down upon hapless attackers. A few moments in the chamber gives a glimpse of how the inhabitants of the castle once lived. During the summer, the weather must have been pleasant with the breeze coming through the small windows, but in the Syrian winter it would have been unbearably cold. After patrolling the ramparts, walk through the courtyard, which where knights no doubt met and trained for battle. The inside of the castle, filled with well-labeled rooms, is simply amazing. The huge banquet hall has two doorways large enough to admit the entire garrison which must have made for some wild dinnertime conversation. Behind the hall is a 120-meter long chamber, which housed the castle’s stocks, provisions, bakery and kitchen. The oven, which has survived intact, stands at five meters in diameter large enough to bake a feast fit for an army. Across the courtyard from the kitchen and the great hall is the 12th-century chapel. This simple Christian church has few decorations, and only a few traces of rosettes remain. It was converted into a mosque after the Crusaders left, but the room still bears most of its original Christian identity. The beautiful courtyards, Gothic arched doorways and sun-lit windows fail to soften the purely military function of the Crac. They add a touch of elegance to the fortress, but seem a bit out of place. Apparently the warriors were reminded of the nature of their service: Below one window is a Latin inscription that reads, “Grace, wisdom and beauty you may enjoy, but beware pride which may alone tarnish all the rest.†Beware pride, but not adventure. Once you’ve seen the guidebook highlights, you should take some time to do some independent exploring. I suggest wandering through dark halls; some open up into little storage rooms, while other intricate passages must have been used to move unseen from one section of the castle to another. Deep within the walls, I felt as if I were in Medieval times, sneaking from one spot to another with an important message to give to the king Back to sunlight and reality. The Crac des Chevaliers is arguably the last remaining Crusader castle worth visiting. With its mammoth size and elaborate layout, it is no wonder even the victorious Arab armies could not force the Crusaders out of the castle. In a way, it is a tribute to Arab skill and will that the knights left voluntarily. Unblemished by time, this castle remains a highlight of any journey back to the era of the Crusades. ** This article originally ran on October 3, 2009 BM
